Monica Mae Monk, 48, of Polk City passed away on Monday, May 29, 2017 surrounded by her loving family at the Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines. A celebration of life service will be held on Sunday, June 4, 2017 at 2 p.m. at the Lakeside Fellowship Church, 1121 W Bridge Rd, Polk City, IA, with Pastor Hugh Stone officiating. A visitation will follow 3 - 5 p.m. at the church. A private burial will take place at a later date. Monica was born on August 31, 1968 to Gail and Evelyn (Mino) Petersen in Atlantic, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed in the Exira Lutheran Church. She attended and graduated from Exira Community Schools in 1986. Monica then attended the University of Iowa and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. She then worked as an engineer for the Federal Aviation Administration in Kansas City. On assignment in Iowa City in 1992 she reconnected with college friend Steven Monk and the couple began dating. They relocated to Montana where Monica began graduate school at the University of Montana and received a Master of Science degree in Natural Resource Conservation. She joined the Peace Corps in El Salvador as an agroforester. On returning to the states they moved to Texas where she worked doing habitat restoration for the Fish and Wildlife Service. On August 28, 1998 they married in Weslaco, Texas. In 2006, Monica and her family moved to Polk City, Iowa where they have resided and raised their family ever since. In Iowa she was the State Wetland Coordinator for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. She belonged to the Polk City United Methodist Church. Monica was very active and full of life. She loved spending time with her family, watching and playing sports, water skiing, snow skiing, travel, camping, hiking, snorkeling, painting, attending her kids' activities, singing, gardening, botany, and crocheting. Those left to cherish her loving memory are her husband Steven Monk; children Rio, Maya, and Talula Monk; parents Gail and Evelyn Petersen; sisters Melody (Michael Blood) Petersen and Michele (Todd) Rausch; brother Matthew (Dana Coleman) Petersen; in-laws David and Janet Monk; brother-in-law David (Kari) Monk; sisters-in-law Carol Monk and Terri (Joseph) Gureno. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Monica Monk Memorial Fund. Fredregill Funeral & Cremation Care in Polk City have been entrusted with the care of Monica and her family. Service Lakeside Fellowship Church 1121 Westbridge Road Polk City, Iowa 50226 Service 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Visitation Lakeside Fellowship Church 1121 Westbridge Road Polk City, Iowa 50226 Visitation 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM