Monica Lynn Van Laer

Monica Lynn Van Laer was born in Portland, Oregon to parents Steven and Rebecca (Estudillo) Van Laer on Christmas day, December 25th, 1980. Monica, nine pounds and beautiful, came into this world one month later than her expected arrival date thus beginning the trend and precedent of Monica doing things on her own schedule and her way. Monica grew up in St. Helens and attended Condon Elementary, St. Helens Jr. High, and St. Helens High School. From a very young age, Monica showed a great aptitude for music and the playing of instruments. She also had a love for drama and for theater. In High school, her main instrument was the flute, but she played many woodwinds, and had a real knack for picking up an instrument and learning to play it in a short period of time. She was a drum major in her high school marching band. She was truly a talented musician and from the beginning as an orchestra student, Monica played first chair. Monica was a self-proclaimed “nerd” and embodied that title with great personal pride. She was not athletic, she was very studious, scientific, and curious and she was interested in comic books and video games, and played in her high school band and orchestra. She was a unique pioneer of her time and was in to this blend of things way before it was “cool” to do so. It could be said that from day one, Monica danced to the beat of her own drum. She had her very own signature style and aesthetic that was uniquely Monica. From the time she was little, she demonstrated a one-of-a-kind sense of humor, an innate sense of timing, quick wit, and loved to bring others joy through laughter. In high school, Monica’s father gifted her copy of the Monty Python book “All the Words” and the book became a source of constant quotes and “isms” that helped to refine and define Monica’s truly unique sense of humor. In high school, Monica certainly held aspirations of a college education and hoped to study at a university in California “close to Disneyland so I can go there every day”- is what she told her mom. Monica graduated from St. Helens High School in 1999. She earned the Sousa Award that year among many other awards and accolades for her musical accomplishments. She was awarded a college scholarship for her excellence in theater and drama.

Monica was granted her wish of university study in California -right out of high school she went on to study technical theater and set directing at Chapman University in Orange County. While at university, Monica made many close friends and had so many special, memorable experiences. As it turns out, Monica did not visit Disneyland every day while studying at the university (actually, she had a season pass for the first year and visited quite a few times). To help put herself through school, Monica worked at Knott’s Berry Farm. There she was able to exercise some of her technical theater and set directing knowledge and training. Monica worked with a tight knit crew to set up and oversee the theatrical events, various stage shows and pyrotechnics displays at Knott’s. To simplify her job title, Monica called herself a “professional cable coiler”. She made many close friends there and maintained contact with them long after their time together there had ended. Monica quickly made friends everywhere she went and lived with many of her friends during her 15 years in California. She loved living in California in the sunshine and the “bright lights and big city” but Oregon was always in her heart. She missed the green, the rain, and the distinct change in the seasons. Monica always remained connected to her family back home. She came home at least once a year to touch base and spend quality time with her family. Following her time at the university she lived in many places around Southern California. She lived in Irvine, LaBrea, Fullerton, and Santa Ana to name a few. In 2004, Monica ended her career with Knotts and went to work for Starbucks and over the course of nearly 10 years she ascended the ranks to a store manager position. On her facebook page, Monica lists her Starbucks management title as “Pouring Things, Bossy Pants”. She enjoyed her time with Starbucks immensely. Monica was someone who loved being near and being of service to her fellow human beings. She loved each and every one of her regular customers that visited her at her store and she developed so many special friendships and real, enduring relationships with customers, co-workers. Monica truly had a special ability to connect with and engage with people in a positive way -she was always the first one to offer help to someone if it looked like they might need a hand or a kind word of encouragement. She was not afraid to get involved and get her hands dirty. She valued the opportunity to roll up her sleeves, work with others, collaboration, and working together toward a common goal and ideally having fun and laughing while doing it.

Prior to her ten-year anniversary with Starbucks, Monica accepted a Job in the Bay Area and moved North to manage a Starbucks in Oakland, CA that was struggling as a business. She served as a manager there for six months and it was a difficult period in her coffee career. Just shy of her 10 year mark, she decided to hang up the green apron and give herself a long overdue break. Monica took a long time to herself and just recharge, reflect, and figure out where to go next in her life.

In 2013, Monica made a career shift made a choice to work in the death care field. She worked For Rolling Hills Cemetery in the bay area as a family service and cemetery counselor. Monica instantly developed a love for this type of work and continued on her path of service and care for others. During her short time with Rolling Hills as a counselor and caring for those who were enduring the loss of a loved one, Monica was constantly reminded of the importance of staying close to family and how truly unique and special those bonds are. In 2014, Monica moved back to Oregon to be nearer to her family and those who truly mattered most to her. She came to work at Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home in Portland, OR as a family service counselor and cemetery representative. She was loved and appreciated by each and every one of her co-workers. She was a very dedicated, driven, a very quick study and fast learner, and always willing to go the extra effort to serve every family member she worked with. She loved her time at Skyline and said so many times how much she considered herself fortunate to do this kind of work. Her ability to connect with others, her genuine warmth, and her special sense of what people need was so appreciated by her client family members and her coworkers as well.

Monica will be remembered as an energetic, positive person with a huge presence. She loved to share with others and loved to give of herself. She had a taste for the absurd, the black side of humor, the ironic, and things surreal and slightly warped. She saw beauty and in the unpopular and grace in some things culturally discarded and uncelebrated. She liked looking at things in a new and unique way and coming up with creative and entertaining, funny solutions. Monica had very unique, striking fashion style and sense. It was a perfect mixture of punk rock, new wave, serious 80’s, goth (her favorite clothing color was black), and high fashion runway. Any time Monica went outside, she was always well put together with her signature swooping hairstyle.

Monica had many interests and hobbies. As stated earlier, she had love for comics and she attended Comic Con every year. Monica also had a lifelong love for animated comedy series. Some of her absolute favorites were Archer, Venture Brothers, and Ren+Stimpy. Some of her favorite TV were Project Runway and Battlestar Galactica. Some of her favorite musical groups were The Cosmonauts, Heart, They Might Be Giants, and Pink Floyd. She had an affinity for classic video games. Her favorites were Legend of Zelda (she had great pride in conquering that game), Tetris, Diablo, Mortal Kombat, and Mario Kart. Her favorite thing of all was just to be near her family, spend quality time with her nieces and maybe prepare and share some of her “experimental “ food recipes. She loved to cook and enjoyed adventuring into new culinary territory and sharing the results. Monica’s preferred dessert was pie and she said many times that her favorite day of the week was “Pie Day”.

Monica came back to Oregon to be near her family who meant more than anything to her. She had only blessed us with her presence for six months when she was taken from us. Monica, you were a loving daughter, granddaughter, sister, aunt, friend, co-worker, counselor and you will be missed so much.

Monica is predeceased by her grandfather Harlan Van Laer.

Monica is survived by her mother, Rebecca Harrison; step-father, Chuck Harrison; father, Steve Van Laer; sisters, Ruth Weston, Molly Weston (Amal), and Rachel Weston(Bill); her nieces, Evoleht and Eyla Jensen that she loved dearly; numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins; her many “chosen family” members up and down the west coast, and so many close friends, co-workers, and clients.

A memorial service to celebrate Monica’s life and memory will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2014, at 1pm in Skyline Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home, 4101 NW Skyline Blvd., Portland, OR.

She will be privately laid to rest in Skyline Memorial Gardens in the Garden of Meditation.

Remembrances in lieu of flowers may be made to a GoFundMe account to honor Monica’s legacy. All funds will be donated to the St. Helens High School band and drama programs. Please visit www.gofundme.com/gsm7vg

Arrangements under the direction of Skyline Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, Portland, OR.