Robert "Bob" David George Monk

Robert (Bob) was born in Frankton Junction (later a suburb of Hamilton), New Zealand on March 18, 1931, to George and Rachel (nee JOLL) MONK. When he was 8 years of age, his mother died and he and two of his three sisters were later placed in the Marton Children’s Home. In December, 1941 he was accidentally run over by a car and received a compound fracture of his right ankle.

At an early age, Bob put his trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for his eternal salvation and was baptized by immersion as a teenager. His testimony: “By grace I was saved, through faith, and not of myself, it was God’s free gift, not by my works”.

In December 1948, on finishing high school, Bob moved to Auckland and found work as a draftsman. After studying at a local Technical College at night for a year, he passed the prerequisite examination papers needed to be engaged as a civil engineering cadet and articled to a Professional Engineer. He continued working during the day, studying in the evenings through the local Technical College and later via correspondence courses. At this time Bob joined the Royal New Zealand Engineers, a branch of the New Zealand Territorial Force, the equivalent to the U.S. Army National Guard, rising to the rank of Sergeant.

In 1954 he married Nola HART and they made their home in Whangarei, where Bob was then employed as an Engineering Assistant with the City Corporation. They were blessed with three children, Robert (Rob), Stuart, and Adele. He continued his civil engineering studies, completing these in 1957, earning the equivalency of a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. This, together with the practical hands-on experience he had gained, enabled him to qualify for registration as a Chartered Engineer in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and other Commonwealth countries. He continued post graduate studies in environmental engineering to broaden his overall expertise. Bob was promoted to Deputy City Engineer in 1961 and in 1965 he was sent on a four-month worldwide business tour related to the design and construction of wastewater collection, conveyance, pumping, and treatment projects for which city staff were responsible. In 1967 he was promoted to City Engineer, the US equivalence of Director of Public Works.

In late 1969 he was offered and accepted a position with a privately-owned U.S. Environmental Engineering Consulting firm: Camp Dresser and McKee (CDM), and in 1971, he and his family moved to Boston, Massachusetts. Based upon his engineering qualifications and work experience, he obtained Professional Engineering registration, first inthe State of Massachusetts, and later in a number of other States within the U. S., in Singapore, and the European Union. His work with the company took him to many States within the U.S and numerous countries around the world. During this time, he received successive promotions within the company, finally up to Senior Vice President. After spending a year in each of Australia and Singapore, in 1993 through 1996, the company asked him to relocate to Houston, Texas.

Bob continued to work for CDM until his retirement from full time work in 1997. However, he continued working with the company as one of their part time specialist Consultants. In the course of Bob’s professional career, he authored numerous technical papers, many of which have been published in professional journals in New Zealand and the U.S. Two of these received the yearly Best of Division awards from the American Water Works Association in 1989 and 1994.

Bob often applied his God given professional engineering skills and architectural ability to the Lord’s work, aiding where possible, in practical aspects of his churches’ building activities. While living in Whangarei, New Zealand, he designed two new churches, a Bible Camp Chapel, and a complete Bible Camp Facility at Marsden Bay at Whangarei Heads. He supervised the construction of the volunteer labor force for one of these churches and the Marsden Bay Camp Facility. Here in the States, he designed and participated in the construction of the Recreation Facility and other modifications and additions to the Sandy Creek Bible Camp in Texas, where he served on the Camp’s Board and Executive Committee over several years.

Bob also served as a Deacon and/or Elder in a few of the churches he, Nola, and the children attended. One thing Bob knew with assurance from Scripture was: although from the time of his death and when Christ will call His Church to Heaven (John 14:1-3 and 1 Thess. 4:13-17) may be many years, he will be “absent from the body, present with the Lord”, the two events will occur for the Believer, not factually but consciously, at the same time! “Therefore encourage each other with these words” (1Thess. 4-18).

He passed away peacefully with his wife of 69 years, 11 months and 8 days, by his side in Sugar Land, Texas on Monday evening, July 1, 2024, at 10:30.

He is survived by his wife, Nola, three children, ten grandchildren: David Monk, Jonathan Monk, Audra Sunderland, Dr. Layla Sunderland, Sara Fowler, Grace Burkett, Dr. Shannele Ellis, Joseph Monk, Zach Monk and Gary Sunderland and four great-grandsons.