April 29 1939 April 21 2020
Rita Y Monk April 29, 1939 – April 21, 2020 Send Sympathy Gifts Sign Guestbook| Send Sympathy Card| Memorial Donation Rita Y. Monk, 81, passed away peacefully from natural causes on April 21, 2020. She was surrounded virtually and in spirit by her family and friends who could not be physically by her side due to the coronavirus. She was just a few days shy of her 82nd birthday. Rita was born in 1939 in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. She spent her early years in Lafayette, Indiana, and then moved to Alamogordo, NM in 1955 as a high school sophomore, where she was immediately enamored with the small desert town. When her mother moved away, Rita remained in Alamogordo on her own, and got a job to support herself while she completed high school. She married her high school sweetheart, R. Winston Monk, in 1959. They were married for 52 years when he passed in 2011. They spent most of their lives in Alamogordo, but his work and education also took them to Las Cruces, NM, Los Angeles CA, and Tucson, AZ for some years. In addition to raising her family, Rita also worked many years as a secretary in the civil service and for government contractors, starting off her career back in the day when women wore pencils skirts, nylons, and high heels to work every day. She also owned and managed Shoe Biz and Leading Lady shops in Alamogordo. Above all, Rita cherished being a mother and making a nice home for her family. She was the type of mother who would stay up all night typing a book report for her kid who waited until the day before it was due to start writing. She had an infectious laugh, and loved to cook, entertain, and play card games with the kids. She had impeccable grammar and expected no less of others. She had a fierce competitive streak, dominating in backyard ping pong and running 20 games of Words with Friends at any given time, right up to her final days. She was ambidextrous, but didn’t think it was a big deal. She loved oldies and church music, and was a long time member of Grace United Methodist Church in Alamogordo. Rita is survived by her daughters Kimberly Monk of Washington, DC and Shelley Monk of Seattle, WA, her sister Doris (Wayne) Parcell of Elkhart, IN, many nieces and nephews, her caregiver and friend Carol Rhodes of Tularosa, and her sweet kitty Jinx. She is preceded in death by her loving husband Winston, her beloved son Bryan Lance, her mother Dorothy, brother Paul (Dottie) Hartzler, and sister Mary Helen Blackwell (David). Rita’s family is saddened to see her go, but also relieved that she is unburdened of her physical body and joyfully reunited with Winston and other family members in Heaven. Due to Covid-19, memorial services will be held at a later date. Print Obituary Sign Guestbook Name: Location: Video: Image: Light A Candle Candle 1 Candle 2 Candle 3 Candle 4 Email: Please keep my message private Personal Message: Personal Message (required) Confirm: Submit Guestbook entry
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Rita Y Monk April 29 1939 April 21 2020.
Death notice for the town of: Alamogordo, state: New Mexico