Monique’s energy and zest for life was evident to everyone who knew her. She was born and educated in Paris into a family with real estate and architecture interests. She followed in her aunt’s footsteps and moved to the United States in the early ’60s, initially as an au pair for her aunt’s children in Minneapolis. She married an American and settled into a career in the insurance industry. After raising two children, she divorced and, after living in several states, she moved back to Minnesota where she met her future husband, Robin. Later she left the stressful life of insurance and, following a spell as a travel agent, found her calling as a translator and editor serving clients in the legal profession until she retired in 2003.

When her husband Robin retired in 2002, they made Florida their permanent residence. In 2008 they designed and built their home in Wisconsin on Madeline Island’s north shore looking over Lake Superior. It became their summer refuge from the Florida heat and humidity. Monique had a passion for movies and created a ciné club in both locations for small groups of friends. She was also instrumental in showing movies for the public at the Madeline Island library and the Museum.

Monique had always demonstrated a disregard for the conventional. As a child, she showed interest in acting, sports and photography none of which her family of origin nurtured, encouraged or supported but rather viewed as cute diversions. It wasn’t until she retired that she was able to release her creative instincts. This she did with vigor and commitment. With Robin, she travelled extensively recording her experiences with photographs and travelogues. Friends looked forward to receiving the latest. One wit even said that she saved him a lot of money by reading her travelogues.

Her questioning nature led her to leave the Catholic Church of her childhood and she became a member of Unitarian congregations wherever she lived. Even so, she retained contact with her favorite nun who had been a teacher at her high school in Paris. Occasionally they would meet in France and share experiences. In addition to being a hospice volunteer, she volunteered for the blind, in homeless shelters and in shelters for abused women. She was a strong supporter of liberal causes. She railed against conservatives who would deny women the right to choose observing that the highest profile opponents invariably were men. Her advocacy was at its strongest in the death-with-dignity movement. She was a co-founder of a chapter of Compassion and Choices in Salt Lake City where she and Robin lived from 1996 to 2008. She supported the cause throughout her adult life. It was a sad irony that she died in a state which would have denied her the right to manage her own death from a terminal disease.

Ever since taking writing classes in her earlier years she had always had a desire to write. After retiring, she produced a blog with some of her essays. At the age of 73, she embarked on her newest venture, creating this web site to capture her travel photography and travelogues. This website also includes her essays about life written with seriousness as well as with humor.

Monique’s writing skills were further evident as a one-time playwright. Based on her own life, she wrote the play, “Where Were You When You Needed Me,” which received a stage reading in Salt Lake City. She was awarded Second Place by the Playwright’s Circle in 2004 and an Honorable Mention from the Writers’ Digest.