John F. Monberg
August 21, 1963 – April 3, 2023
John F. Monberg, PhD, age 59, of East Lansing, Michigan passed away on April 3, 2023. He is survived by his loving wife, Terese Guinsatao Monberg (nèe O’Connell), six younger siblings: Cindy (Ed) Morris of Dyer, Indiana; Michael (Nadina) Monberg of Arlington, Virginia; Greg Monberg of Michigan City, Indiana; Jeff (Julie) Monberg of Chicago, Illinois; Brian (Myra) Monberg of Portland, Oregon; and Matthew (Jennifer) Monberg of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; his mother-in-law, Margarita O’Connell of Chicago, Illinois; his father-in-law, Donald O’Connell of Chicago, Illinois; brothers-in-law John (Cheryl) Bascon-O’Connell of Glenview, Illinois and Tom O’Connell of Chicago, Illinois; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was receded in death by his parents, Frederick and Irene Monberg.
An idealist with a youthful spirit, a kind heart, and a rebellious streak, John had a special passion for those who were overlooked or marginalized. He was a proud defender of the humanities and their ability to transform communities, and he built tools derived from a deep desire to make meaningful connections with others.
A terrific oldest brother for his family, John had bold, eclectic tastes in music, food, and culture, which he zealously shared with others. He enjoyed soccer and ran cross-country for a legendary team of kids largely from the neighborhood. He remained a runner throughout his life, completing two marathons and five half marathons. He derived great joy from creative nuances observed in everyday life. He loved talking sports and politics. But nothing made him happier than cooking a great meal with precision for Terese, for family, and for friends and enjoying it with them.
John was an original and a trailblazer; he may have been the first student to bring a personal computer with him to the University of Notre Dame. When he wasn’t programming, he led the debate team on campus, and would later extend this interest as a college coach. Following graduation, John met Terese on his first day of training at his new job at Continental Bank. Almost immediately, he knew the job wasn’t for him, but pursued a future with Terese. He went to the Newberry Library for lectures and audited a class at the University of Chicago. After a year, he wrote 20 people he had met a typewritten letter asking for advice, and half responded. One of these was a suggestion to pursue a PhD in Science and Technology Studies. Terese and John subsequently began their journey together as a dual-career academic couple—a journey that traversed decades across multiple universities. John’s career drew on themes from growing up in the Calumet Region, and his work was actively engaged in his communities, creating spaces for dialogue, and supporting “smart” cities. He loved traveling to and learning lessons from great cities around the world as well as vacations on the beaches of Lake Michigan.
John appreciated the outpouring of support he received from family, friends, and neighbors. He appreciated the energy and community that he and Terese found within Michigan State University. Working with a colleague, he created a toolkit for health equity activism in mantle cell lymphoma to ensure others had the opportunity to participate in clinical trials as he did at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He will be greatly missed by the many family members, friends, students, and others whose lives he touched.
Visitation Saturday, April 15th, at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 5472 S. Kimbark Ave., Chicago from 10:00 AM until time of Mass at 11:00 AM. A livestream of the Mass is available using the (link pending). Interment All Saints Cemetery in Des Plaines, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) www.lls.org or the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) www.digitalinclusion.org. Arrangements entrusted to Donnellan Funeral Home. Info (773) 238-0075. Sign Guestbook at www.donnellanfuneralhome.com
April 15, 2023 – 10:30am cst
The live stream will begin about 10 minutes before the service starts. Please press the play button in the player above. You will see a screen stating that the live stream will begin shortly along with some soft music to make sure your speakers are working properly. Once the stream has ended, the video will be available to view once it has been uploaded. We recommend using Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Microsoft Edge web browsers. Internet Explorer may not work due to Microsoft’s discontinued support of the browser.