Remembering Jeanni Monks
June 21, 1947 – July 27, 2023
It seems a lifetime ago when I first met the fabulous and vibrant Jeanni Monks. I remember the venue and the people present when we first met but not the exact date although I know it was the early to mid-90’s when a very friendly lady with a beautiful smile introduced herself and started chatting to me like a long-lost friend!! Jeanni joined the QFA in 1996, and so began her extensive and very fruitful journey with the QFA, FAA, APA and as an examiner on the FAA Exam Board, culminating in Jeanni also becoming QFA President, FAA National Council member, APA Vice President and Co-convenor of the 2010 Queensland FAA Conference. Jeanni slotted easily and effortlessly into her many roles, becoming an integral part of our Astrological community. In 1998 when Jeanni volunteered to pack conference bags and work on the registration desk at the 1998 conference, I am sure she never thought she would be a Co-convenor along with Rhonda Buttery and I at the next Qld conference in 2010. Whilst working on the Registration desk a long and enduring friendship began between Jeanni and Charyn McLean, with these two wonderful Astrologers presenting many lectures and workshops together. Thank you Charyn for your help and support provided to Jeanni over the years and especially since 2020.
With so many very delightful and funny memories it is extremely difficult to choose any one memory of Jeanni, as there are far too many!
Many Queensland Astrologers have been friends with Jeanni for over 30 years, sharing countless wonderful memories of QFA meetings, travelling to National Council and APA meetings, and mingling with our Astrological family at FAA Conferences. Jeanni’s presence and colourful outfits at social events including the Melbourne cup and QFA Christmas parties held over the years always added an extra sparkle to these events. My eldest granddaughter attended her first Melbourne Cup party when she was seven. (Now 21) Laura sat with her Mum and Jeanni selling raffle tickets and greeting guests as they arrived. Later I asked Laura if she enjoyed the day off school, she said Nan it was fun sitting with Mum and the beautiful fairy lady! That was Jeanni, always made an impression on everyone she met!
And of course, there will be many who remember how at every opportunity, Jeanni would delight us with her dancing skills!! I still remember although more fondly now than back then, Jeanni trying to teach me to ‘dance like an Egyptian’ for the 2010 Conference opening ceremony!! I realised very quickly (especially after I heard my son laughing very loudly when he saw me practicing) that despite Jeanni’s best efforts it would be far better for those watching and less embarrassing for me to ‘walk like an Egyptian’, leaving it to Jeanni, Rhonda and the other conference committee members to demonstrate their unique and impressive dancing skills, at least for the Opening ceremony. And for those attendees at the 2010 Conference, it would be hard to forget, (although perhaps a few of our efforts should be forgotten), the ‘considerable’ dancing expertise of the conference committee, and others including Brian Clark at the No talent Karaoke night!!! That evening will always be a treasured memory for me of an amusing and entertaining night filled with laughter and fun and a chance for the committee to relax after two years of planning a conference. It was special watching Jeanni with her boundless energy dancing the night away, with committee members and delegates.
Jeanni and her passion, wisdom and knowledge of Astrology will be sorely missed, and her passing will leave a huge hole in our Astrology community and especially in Queensland. Jeanni was always the first to put her hand up to present a lecture at our research group BARS or at QFA meetings. My role as QFA speaker convenor will be a little harder now as I could always rely on Jeanni to present a professional and interesting lecture along with fabulous PowerPoints whenever I asked, or to fill in if a speaker cancelled at the last minute. One of the many things that I also admired about Jeanni was her generosity and willingness to share her vast Astrological research and knowledge.
Another role that was both special and important to Jeanni was her work as a Marriage Celebrant. I attended several weddings Jeanni presided over, from a large wedding at a Winery to a smaller beach wedding. Her organisational ability and meticulous attention to detail was evident to all, and even on a hot and windy Gold Coast day Jeanni remained cool and serene, whilst the rest of us were not as composed as we battled heat, wind, and the sand! However, we did have the pleasure of listening to Jeanni’s soothing voice, and whether it was at a lecture on Astrology or formalizing a marriage it was a joy to listen to Jeanni sharing her wisdom as well as her stories and life experiences.
Brian Clark named the 2010 Conference committee ‘The Muses’ but to Jeanni we became more than that, so we were renamed the Magical Magnetic Muses or the Magical Mystical Muses or a variety of both, depending on whatever situation was occurring at the time. Jeanni you were one of the brightest lights among the Magical Magnetic Muses and we will miss you. I have taken these special words ‘the World was a better place with her in it” from a card presented to Jeanni’s son Andy and daughter Leigh-Anne at Jeanni’s celebration of life. Those words succinctly describe how much Jeanni was loved by our Astrological family and the many students that were lucky enough to be taught and mentored by her. Included in the card were written tributes from the APA, FAA and QFA, for the family.
Numerous words have been spoken and tributes written over the past few weeks, all expressing Jeanni’s wonderful qualities, her caring, sharing, and nurturing traits, her beautiful beaming smile, friendly face, her charm, and her grace. Tears continue to flow as Jeanni has left us far too early. The Australian Astrological community has lost a very special lady a gentle soul who is already sadly missed.
I among many others worked very closely with Jeanni over a long period of time and we are now taking comfort from an email Jeanni sent advising us that it was time to let go and be at peace. With this email Jeanni gave us a gift of extra time to email our love, prayers and goodbyes as in her words she prepared the transition from this life to the next.
I have included another small snippet of her courageous and very moving words.
I have set myself a mission to come back as a guardian angel for family and friends who need me (much like the Cancerian mother archetype). You may feel my loving presence now and then via signs and signals in nature or through the environment. “Keep up your amazing astrological work and dedication to this amazing science and art.”
Farewell to our beautiful Jeanni, you can now continue dancing in the stars with the Angels.
Sylvia Wilson
FAA National Secretary
QFA Vice President and Liaison Officer
It is with great sadness that I write this. Our dearest member Jeanni Monks 1949-2023, passed away on 27 July, and oh, she will be so greatly missed. Jeanni joined the QFA in 1996, and was such a vibrant member, actively involved in our committee over the years, culminating in the position as President from 2011-2017. She shared her astrological knowledge so generously with us, giving many monthly lectures on a variety of topics, and was actively involved with the APA becoming Vice-President.
She was also our QFA rep to the FAA National Council from 2003-2017, gained a FAA Fellow in 2013, and QFA Fellow in 2016. Lately, Jeanni also sat on the FAA Exam Board as an examiner. Such a brilliant career in Astrology, counselling numerous clients, and preparing many students for exams. Such a brilliant career in Astrology and selfless service to the QFA, FAA & APA. Rest in Peace Jeanni, we shall always love you and remember you in our hearts.
Veronica Chlap, QFA President
Our Astrological Family is reeling from the loss of our beloved Jeanni. She has been a valued and contributing member for over 20 years both at state level and national level. A past president of the QFA for 7 years, Jeanni was also a committee member of the APA up until 2015 when she was then elected to the position of Vice President. Jeanni was also a member of the FAA Board of Examiners since 2004. Her dedication to the practice of astrology is indicated by her many roles but also by the students she has taught and mentored over decades. Her caring and nurturing persona achieved great results as shown by the number of her students who have not only achieved their FAA Practitioner Certificates but have gone on to become members of the APA. Jeanni has played a major role in the education and high standard of astrology in Australia as an educator, mentor, lecturer, examiner and professional advocate.
It was my honour and privilege to work with Jeanni on both national organisations and we shared many a room, if not a bed, over the years, whilst attending the astrological conferences and meetings, which were generally held in university accommodation. Countless nights we sat up talking and drinking, resulting in far too many hangovers, that as our years increased, seemed to linger for longer.
Due to the advent of Covid our time together over the past few years has been through Zoom… a most unsatisfactory means of communication for us water signs that tend to need the comfort of touch. Without those meetings we would not have had all these wonderful photos that brings Jeanni’s image back to us in all her wonderful glory. A huge thank you to all those that collaborated to achieve such a plethora of photos that span such an amazing period of Jeanni’s astrological life and the many people she touched.
Jeanni, you set Australia alight at midday, as we all lit our candles and sent love and light winging your way. I can’t promise to continue with that (but I do know many will) but I can promise that at every in person astrological occasion that I attend a glass will be raised and a toast made in your honour. I am pretty sure that that may actually become a tradition in a few states.
Condolences and Tributes from many of Jeanni’s Astrological Family were sent to The Celebration of Life , held in Jeanni’s honour by her family; her children Leigh and Andy, their spouses Pav and Mel and her grandchildren of whom she was so immensely proud; Sienna, Leon and Erica.
Jeanni, I will carry you in my heart and when we meet again I will say “there you are!”
May the Goddesses keep you close, as if they are holding one of their own.
Patricia Shepherd – FAA President 2023