Monica Jean Coady

The universe was blessed with Monica Jean Coady on July 31, 1977 to her late parents Donna Micus and Michael Coady in none other than Chicago, IL. She was a light until her sudden passing on May 23, 2023 at the age of 45. “Moe”, as friends and family affectionately called her, was an adventurous spirit and loving soul. Despite much trauma, heartbreak, and grief in her life, she always managed to maintain an infectious smile.

She grew up on the Southside of Chicago with her parents and older brother, Richard Micus, and beloved dogs Old Style and Tabu. Among her large loving family was her mother’s partner Dan Doyle, late grandma Dolores Micus, aunt Barb Haupt, uncle Bill Haupt, cousins Billy and Bryan Haupt, niece Jordan Micus, sister-in-law Denise Cuevas, uncle Bob Micus, aunt Sharon Watterson, uncle Bob Watterson, cousin Molly Watterson, aunt Carol Corter, Uncle Mark Corter, and cousins Allison and Thomas Corter… just to name a few. If I had to name all the friends she made along the way, we would be here for hours—you know who you are. But, even for those that hadn’t met Monica, I guarantee that you would see what the fuss was all about if you had the chance to talk to her.

She graduated from Curie Metro High School in 1995. She met the late Erwin Narsolis within the next few years, and they went on to have their daughter Kailey Jade Coady-Narsolis in 2002—or “Kay” for short. Though separated a couple years later, together they continued to do their best caring for Kailey until Erwin’s sudden passing in October 2018. Monica also gave birth to Jori Krikau in 2004, who she had the chance to reconnect with shortly before her passing.

Monica shared her love with many people in life, but she notably considered the late Charles “Chuck” Insley to be her soulmate. The two had many grand adventures from when they met in 2005 until his sudden passing in January 2015. She also adored her pugs Babs and Izzy, whom she took in during their later years. She had a deep love for animals; from working at Animal Kingdom to adopting elderly disabled pugs. Everyone remembers Monica’s iconic bird tattoos; those and her collection of bird trinkets and memorabilia proved her fondness even for creatures so much different than us.

Monica would share her deep appreciation for animals with her daughter Kailey. There was always an animal or two around during her upbringing. Moe rescued a sick kitten from the alley by Erwin’s house shortly after Kailey was born. Her mother and aunt owned cats as well, which they would see while visiting. During the time they shared an apartment with her partner Chuck, his dogs kept them company. These experiences were some of Kailey’s first interactions with animals, and Moe taught her to respect them and treat them kindly. When her daughter showed interest in the veterinary field, Monica was nothing but encouraging and supportive! Kailey would later go on to graduate from the Joliet Junior College veterinary technician program in May 2023, which Moe had the chance to attend. She was very, very proud, and was sure to let everyone know.

Monica pursued many passions in life but had a knack for waitressing. Customers adored her, and coworkers could tell many stories of her shenanigans as well as talent and charisma. You better believe she worked her butt off! During her time off, she liked to relax by hula-hooping in the sun, listening to her favorite bands such as The Pogues, or falling asleep to a movie / TV show. She loved dancing, skating, riding bicycles, motorcycles, and scooters, going for a swim, skateboarding, reading, playing video and board games… The list goes on and on! You could never have too much fun with her.

Moe was also a fan of things hardcore! She loved watching zombie shows and movies with Chuck and her daughter. When Kailey was a toddler, she would blast System of a Down and they would dance together. She loved Harley-Davidson motorcycles and hoped to own a baby blue Vespa scooter one day. You could catch her staying up late watching reruns of The First 48 or Monsters Inside Me, or even one of her many favorite horror films. Moe was a veteran of the 90’s punk scene. The Alley in Chicago was a staple in her favorite shops. Her outfits were always dazzling at family gatherings, or even on just a run to the grocery store. She had an arrangement of accessories like Doc Martens, chokers, stylish belts, sparkly skirts, sunglasses in every shape and size, beautiful rings, and of course her beloved bird necklace. Her love for all things freaky and scary showed in her bootleg DVDs of movies like 28 Days Later, Saw, The Descent, Gremlins, The Ring, and so on.. It’s safe to say that she was pretty badass.

She considered herself to be surrounded by death, which was unfortunately true. Monica’s father Mike passed away in 2003, and her mother Donna in 2005. Her brother Rick would pass in January 2022. Her pugs Babs and Izzy passed in 2016 and 2022, respectively. She also lost many friends and other family members. Despite this, she still stayed positive and radiated overwhelmingly good energy that spread to those around her. These struggles weighed her down daily, but she fought hard and was strong until the end.

Her level of resiliency was astonishing. Though struggling with addiction, she never stopped seeking help. She never gave up; it is evident just how hard she tried by her visits to rehab over the years. Each time she came out even tougher and ready to take on the world, even if it wasn’t always fair to her.

We all thought Monica Coady was invincible. In a way, I think that’s still true. She lives with us in stories, in her massive CD, DVD, and VHS collection, in her artwork, poetry, and photographs, in the way you might see a four-leaf clover and think of her love for all things Irish. For me, as her daughter, it’s the way I look in the mirror and see her DNA reflected back; it’s a share of her light that has been molded by her care into something amazing. What about you?

Memorial visitation for Monica will be held on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Tezak Funeral Home, 1211 Plainfield Rd., Joliet, IL.