Christina Monahan's Obituary
Our wonderful friend, Christina Monahan, was born in San Francisco on June 7, 1953 at St. Francis Hospital. She resided in San Mateo at the time of her death. She passed away of her illnesses at Stanford Hospital February 17, 2026.
Christina was born to Mary Reynolds Monahan, a Boston College Educated lady from Boston MA. Her father, James Monahan, came from County Cork in Ireland and worked at the United States Naval Shipyards as a Machinist.
Christina had two sisters, Mary Ellen and Shiela. She had one brother Emmett Monahan. Emmett and Mary Ellen have passed away. Christina is survived by her sister Sheila.
Christina, as a child, lived by her mother’s rule, “You got yourself there, you can get yourself back.” Christina was extremely independent and adventuresome as a child, rode the San Francisco public bus to the Zoo, to Fleishacker Swimming pool, the grocery store, and never feared going anywhere. She attended St. Emetius Grade School in San Francisco.
Her family moved to San Mateo and she completed high school at Hillsdale High School. She went on to work as a medical lab technician for ten years. She worked as an administration aid for an alarm company as well.
She met her future husband, Barry Pilcher, at the Naval Officers Club at the United States Naval Station at Treasure Island and held a highly desired security pass for that and other clubs on the base. She married Barry and they had wonderful life, enjoying traveling and camping at Lake Tahoe and Lake Berryessa, and venturing to the midwest. They had quite a few wonderful friends. Barry snorkeled and fished, and Christina stayed happily on the shore during their adventures. They never had children although Christina wanted two, a boy and a girl.
Christina and Barry divorced after ten years amicably. Christina went on to work at SFO airport and enjoyed her work there as well as her working friends. Christina had to stop working to help her mother who became ill, she took care of her mother full time for five years until Mary Monahan passed away. She was the most loving daughter to her mother and was heartbroken when Mary passed away.
Chris made her way back to the working world, and being the whip-smart, detail-oriented gal she was, she was awarded a wonderful job as the Executive Planning Secretary at the City of San Mateo, CA. While there she was diagnosed with Leukemia, and had a Bone Marrow Transplant and lived 10 more years. When Chris left, they had to hire three people to replace her at the City.
Christina had mobility issues and was a die-hard Cruis-a-hol-ic, so she rented a mobility scooter to cruise across the ship decks and ride the city buses in Tahiti, Honolulu, Hilo, Kona and other ports of call with her sidekick Victoria Tucker. Together they racked up 40 cruises in the Carribean, the South Seas, Tahiti, Hawaii, (all of the Islands,) and many other south sea island destinations. She never said die, just kept going, smiling and enjoying her life despite illness. Her cruise mates at dinner cruised with her many times again, and she lived a charmed life of travel.
Christina underwent a TIPS Procedure at Stanford Hospital just recently and was hospitalized directly after for a month. Her health went down quickly after that and she passed away February 17, 2026 peacefully having had the last rites.
Chris’s warmth and joy was infectious, she had many friends in her neighborhood and at her work. She was an incredibly jolly life force, always laughing and lived to have fun, and work hard. We will miss her laughter and her spirit. We love you, Christina.
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