Colleen Monger

Of note is the fact that she was the first of the Monger children to fly with their Dad, a Navy pilot. Following her birth, Colleen’s oxygen levels were below normal, but the Navy facility at Chincoteague only offered a small clinic for medical services. After two days of no improvement, her father rented an airplane and with the help of a nurse to hold Colleen, he flew to Norfolk, Virginia, where the Navy had a large medical center. Doctors there were able to stabilize Colleen’s oxygen level, and she returned to Chincoteague.

In the mid-1970s, Colleen attended the Cedars School of Marin in California for the developmentally disabled, an experience that helped shape her sense of self-worth and independence. After The Cedars, she returned home and spent the next 40 years with her parents, primarily in San Diego.

Following the passing of her mother, Billie, in 2006, Colleen adopted a beloved dog, Dottie, who became her lifelong companion. After her father, Jack, passed away in 2015, Colleen and Dottie moved into an adult community in San Diego’s UTC area, where they never missed daily walks to Coffee Bean and the grocery store. Reaching 10,000 to 12,000 steps per day was an average event for Colleen and Dottie.

Colleen was a devoted weight watcher and prided herself on avoiding carbs—except for her “one weakness,” pizza. Family members still laugh about the time they discovered she had been secretly stashing leftover pizza crusts in her purse “for later.” Her nieces especially loved that story, and Colleen loved to laugh along with them.

Those who knew Colleen will remember her affection for Dottie, her fondness for margaritas and lamp shades, and her love of “relaxing.” Colleen passed away peacefully on September 25, with her siblings Jack Jr. and Kelly by her side, following complications from lung cancer that returned after more than 10 years in remission.

Colleen was preceded in death by her older sister Leslie. She is survived by her siblings Jack Jr., Justin, Paul, and Kelly, and by her many nieces and nephews who adored her. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her. In passing, Colleen directed a donation to the American Cancer Society to support cancer research.