Monique Baert Polk
Obituary
Monique Baert Polk
June 21, 1929 – January 21, 2023
Monique Baert Polk, 93, arrived peacefully to her heavenly home on January 21 , 2023. She has joined her dear husband, William Polk, who preceded her in death on August 29, 2022. She is also preceded in death by four siblings… a sister Maria De Ruyck-Baert and brothers Paul, Marc and Rik Baert.
Monique is survived by her children – Susan Polk and Mike Churchill, Linda Polk Haslanger and Mark Haslanger, and Danielle Polk Running and Aaron Running; and her grandchildren: Anna, Amanda, Elizabeth, Evan, and Annika. She is also survived by her brothers Milo and Andre Baert, and her sister Agnes De Brabandere-Baert.
Monique was born in Tielt, Belgium to Joseph and Maria Baert-Vyncke. Times were very hard, as she grew up in Nazi occupied territory during World War II. In spite of the difficulties, she had fond memories of her seven siblings, and she helped her mother care for the younger children when her father was away in the resistance army.
While Monique loved Belgium, she had an opportunity to come to America, where she met Bill at a church dance. They married September 10, 1960 and they raised three daughters in Michigan. Monique was her daughters’ biggest fan, encouraging them in all that they did. She could be heard cheering them on at swim, basketball, track and gymnastics meets, and she heartily supported their artistic endeavors. Monique wanted to make sure to raise daughters who would be self-sufficient.
Monique was an excellent artist and several of her pieces are on display in the homes of her family and friends. She loved teaching her grandchildren to paint. She enjoyed taking walks in nature and encouraged us to “stop and smell the roses” by taking unexpected hikes on road trips.
Bill and Monique retired to Florida where they spent many years golfing and kept sharp by attending and occasionally giving educational presentations at the seniors’ academy at the local university. They subsequently moved to Texas to be close to family.
Monique was a loving wife and mother. She will be greatly missed by her children and grandchildren, one of whom wrote:
“I am lucky to have been loved by you my whole life, and I’m lucky to have gotten to love you for even just a quarter of yours. You taught me beauty in everyday things through color, flowers, and art. You taught appreciation of nature and have given me the most beautiful and peaceful place in the world to spend time. You taught me love of family through the one you created here, and have given us the gift of knowing our family in Belgium.
I got my stubbornness from you, but I think that can be good sometimes—to be strong and hold your ground. That childlike twinkle in your eye when you would smile or laugh, up to something sneaky or mischievous–I got that from you too. Each thing is a gift that made me who I am today.”
Finally, the family would like to express extreme gratitude and thanks to the staff and caregivers of Briarview Senior Living and Accord Hospice, particularly those “earth angels” who work in Memory Care, for their support and compassionate care during both Bill and Monique’s later years. We will miss you!
A memorial service for Monique and her husband Bill will take place this summer, and their ashes will be interred at the Evergreen Cemetery near their beloved cottage at Stony Lake, Michigan.
Memorial gifts can be made to :
Boyd Hill Nature Center – 1101 COUNTRY CLUB WAY S.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33705
Phone:(727) 893-7326
bhpreserve@stpete.org
Eckerd College (Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC))
– St. Petersburg, FL. https://www.eckerd.edu/aspec/giving/
Arrangements under the direction of:
Aria Cremation Service and Funeral Home
19310 Preston Road
Dallas,Texas 75252
214-306-6700
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Sincere condolences to the family. Monique was my Godmother and I was named after her. I’m sure Uncle Bill was patiently waiting for her in heaven. May she rest in eternal peace.
Thank you for your kind words, Monique.
Thank you Monique – Mom would sometimes wonder how you were doing so I would look you up on FB and show her pics of your family (in the earlier day she would ask about your siblings also – but I think in recent years the fact you shared the same name helped a lot!). She would always notice how much you reminded her of beloved mother, Aunt Ghislaine 🙂
Dear Susie, Linda and Danielle – I am so sorry to hear that your Mom passed away. She and your Dad had a wonderful life together and raised three wonderful women.
I have so many fond memories of visiting you all in Adrian. Dennis and I also visited your parents in St. Petersburg, FL.
I am thinking of you during this sad time. I hope to attend their Memorial service this summer if it works out.
Love, hugs and prayers,
Denise
Thank you, Denise. We still do plan to have a memorial with a potential date of August 4th. We appreciate your kind words.
Thank you Denise and Dennis and family – I remember them talking about your visit – did you leave them a music CD of Dennis’ music? We also have so many fond memories of those Monroe/Adrian days. Always loved going to your house! Good memories. Love, Suzy
Peace to all of you. They are both sitting in the presence of God today. Singing, dancing, painting, playing music, rejoicing – I look forward to the day I can talk to the two of them again. I have MANY fond memories from childhood – one was sitting next to your mom in a church service and her saying she would sit with me during communion – I did not know at the time she did not like taking public communion. She always made me feel welcome in the family and treated me as one of her own. Love and prayer for all of you
Thank you for your kind words, dear friend. Thank you for sharing your memories, too. I too, have fond memories of time with your family. Blessings to them all.
We all have good Adrian memories, Deb – and you’re in them! Thank you for your thoughtful message (hard to believe we are grown up now).
What a sweet lady that I am honored to have known for a short time. You will be missed, Monique. Happy trails to you and your dear Bill. My condolences for you Susie, Linda, and Danielle.
I concur with what Denise said. So many memories in Adrian. Did your Dad play music back then? I don’t remember if he did. Your mom was born on the Solstice. May your memories live on. All 3 of your girls were wonderful daughters to your parents. What a long life they had. Blessings
Helen,
My dad played music as a very small child. They had a band as children and they played in their small town to make music during the depression. One of the things I loved about my dad, even later in life, is that sometimes he would just start to sing when he was happy. Thank you for your kinds words and condolences for both mom and dad.
Dear Helen – As Linda said, thank you. You’re right, mom was born on the 21st and passed on the 21st. With her connection to nature, it seems appropriate that she would pass on such a date. Going through photos we find so many of your mother! We know our mom missed her so much. Take care, Suzy
Thank you for your kind words and all of the wonderful things that Accord did for both of my parents. It takes a special person to work with the elderly at the end of their lives, we appreciate all that Accord did.
Thank you for your kind words and all of the wonderful things that Accord did for both of my parents. It takes a special person to work with the elderly at the end of their lives, we appreciate all that Accord did.
Thank you Diana – for your ongoing care for them at both Briarview and with Accord. What a blessing for our family you were!
Thank you Diana – for your ongoing care for them at both Briarview and with Accord during three stages of their lives. What a blessing for our family you were!
Dear Suzy, Linda, Danielle,
Our depest sympathy by the passing away of ‘tante Monique’.
We believe that she is now in heaven with your father, her beloved husband uncle Bill. Such a golden couple could not be a long-time without each other. Now they are reuned. Perhaps also with our dear father, uncle Paul.
You will miss them both a very long time. By all means you are also thankful for their happy long life.
You have to cherish the many recollections in your hearts and tell a lot about them when you are together. That will comfort your sadness.
We wish you lots of strenght in this time of mourning.
“May God hold them in the palm of his hand”.
Many greetings from Myriam en Luc Kint- Baert
Myriam,
Thank you for your kind words and condolences. I know mom would have loved to be reunited with her family who has passed, like Uncle Paul. She did miss her family in Belgium and spoke often of Belgium at the end of her life. Blessings to you all.
As Linda said, thank you, Myriam and Luc and your family. We think you put it beautifully “Such a golden couple could not be a long-time without each other.” It make me happy to think Uncle Paul was there to welcome her 🙂
Dear family, I’m very saddened at the passing of our ‘tante in Amerika’. She was a kind, intelligent women. She had artistic talents and could paint beatifully. She was very proud on the ‘Vlaamse primitieven’; the flemisch painters of the 15 th, 16 th century.
I had the privilege of vacation twice with aunt Monique and uncle Bill. My father Paul, went with us. He was very fond of his sister. We were very well received there and I have many memories of staying wit them. The passing of both of your parents will be a great loss for you, but now they are back together. I wish yo much courage during te mourning period. Many greetings from Bea en Danny Dhooghe-Baert
Bea,
Thank you so much for your kind words and condolences. I know my mom always loved it when she was able to see family from Belgium. I am glad we were able to bring our children there, they now feel a connection and know that they have a much bigger extended family than they realized. Blessings to your family.
Dear Bea and Danny
Thank you for your condolences and sharing your memories of your “tante in Amerika.” You are correct, she was very proud of the artists of tiny-but-mighty Belgium – and rightfully so! I didn’t know you had two vacations with them! How wonderful. Thank you for the wish of courage. We do need it as we learn to adjust to this “new normal’ without them. Love, Suzy
Dear Suzy, Linda and Daniëlle,
Aunt Agnes called me to tell us the sad news of Aunt Monique’s passing. We remember her as an intelligent, open-minded and cordial woman with a remnant of West-Flemish stubbornness.
Theda and I remember the great hospitality of your parents during our stay in the US, now more than 10 years ago. These days will always have a special place in our memories.
Your mother and father were so attached to each other . It must be difficult to all of you to loose both of your parents in such a short time.
Wishing you a lot of strength.
Bernard and Theda
Dear Bernard and Theda,
Thank you so much for your kind words and condolences. I think you described my mother very well! Blessings to your family.
Dear Bernard, Theda and Family
I agree with Linda – you described our dear mother very well! But I did not know it was a trait from the geographic zone of West Flanders 🙂 I believe the trait is alive and well in several in our family – so it has come to America. It is hard to believe so much time has passed since your visit, and that the future doesn’t have our parents in it. At times like this it would be nice if we all lived closer, wouldn’t it? Take care, Suzy