Connie Lynn Marks

Monika Marks devoted her life to serving God, her family, and her friends. She was strong-willed and outspoken about many things, yet in retrospect, she was almost always right. Her life offered countless examples of love expressed through selflessness and sacrifice.

Monika’s father served in the United States Air Force, and she was born while he was stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany, on February 22, 1954. She spent her childhood in Farmersburg, Indiana, where she became involved in her family’s publishing business. Her grandfather had founded both The Farmersburg News and The Shelbyville News, and Monika spent many hours typesetting and preparing the paper for distribution - experiences that helped form her strong work ethic and creative spirit.

Born Connie Lynn Jewett, she never liked her given name, saying it “sounded like a con man.” One day, she dyed her blonde hair red, turned to husband Bob, and declared, “From this day forward, I will be known as Monika.” She liked the “k” because it felt German— and she thought Monika Marks alliterated nicely. She never changed her name legally.

In 1974, Monika married Robert J. Marks II (Bob) in Terre Haute, Indiana. That was 51 years ago. Their marriage remained strong because they agreed that although they had made promises to each other about marriage, their primary oath in marriage was to God and the Lord Jesus Christ. They were equally yoked, sharing similar macro views on faith and politics.

Their 1974 wedding ceremony was anything but conventional. Except for the traditional, “Here Comes the Bride,” they wrote all the wedding music themselves and even sang a duet to each other during the ceremony — a beautiful reflection of their shared creativity and devotion.

After their marriage, while living in Lubbock, Texas, Bob and Monika were both baptized as adults on the same day at the First Baptist Church in Lubbock, Texas.

Monika’s mother, Mary Lou, developed a serious neurological condition called Friedreich’s ataxia, which left her confined to a wheelchair and struggling with motor control. While Bob was completing his Ph.D. in Lubbock, Texas, Mary Lou moved into their small trailer, where Monika provided tireless care for her. Later, when Monika’s father overcame his battle with alcoholism, he too lived with them for a time - a period that reflected both redemption and Monika’s enduring love for her parents.

Trained as a nurse, Monika questioned medical interventions for newborns. At her insistence, all three of her children were born at home, attended by a midwife, without anesthesia. She often joked that after enduring the pain of natural childbirth, that if any of her children ever turned to drugs, she would “throttle them mercilessly.”

Monika was also wary of food additives for her family and liked to grow her own vegetables. She earned the title of Master Gardener from the McLennan County Master Gardener Association.

Dedicated to her children’s growth and education, Monika homeschooled all three through grade school. She remained an ever-present mother and later a deeply involved grandmother. She was there for son Jeremiah and wife Leslie at the births of their two children, and for daughter Marilee and husband Kris as they welcomed theirs. Her grandchildren adored spending time at Grandma’s house - baking cookies, scrapbooking, and enjoying sleepovers that always felt like a special treat.

Monika loved preserving family memories. She spent countless hours creating detailed scrapbooks filled with photos and stories of her children, grandchildren and friends. When her son Joshua broke his neck in a car accident, she once again demonstrated her extraordinary devotion - becoming a Texas state licensed massage therapist so she could personally help him recover.

For the first four decades of their marriage, Bob and Monika opened their home to people in need, providing free room and board in exchange for help with household tasks. Those they welcomed included single mothers with children, a divorced father, financially struggling students, and even a Chinese refugee couple. Monika took charge of interviewing, supervising, and caring for each person who came under their roof.

Monika loved to travel. On both mission and business trips, she accompanied Bob on numerous journeys across the United States. Beyond the continental U.S., her travels took her to Tokyo & Nagoya (JP), Bejing & Chengdu (CN), Tainan & Taipei (TW), Monaco (MC), Zurich & Geneva (CH), Perth & Sydney (AU), Paris, Nice & Nantes (FR), Rome, Bologna & Vatican City (IT), Madrid (SP), Vancouver & Montréal (CA), Honolulu & Maui (HI), Juneau & Anchorage (AK), São Paulo & Rio de Janeiro ( BR), Helsinki (FI) and London (GB).

Monika managed three properties, including her home in McGregor, Texas. Together with Bob, she also owned a house and land in the hills of West Virginia, inherited from Bob’s family, and a waterfront property in Corpus Christi, Texas, left to her by her father. Each of these places became a beloved setting for joyful family reunions.

Monika’s life was filled with love, faith, and purpose. Through confessing her sins, accepting Christ’s sacrifice for forgiveness, and following Him, she received the eternal gift of being with Him forever. Her fruits of warmth, strength, and creativity touched everyone who knew her. She leaves behind a legacy of devotion and grace that continues to inspire all who were blessed to share in her life.

Her family, all followers of Christ, do not grieve that her earthly life is over, but celebrate it happened and that she is now with her Lord and Savior.