Dr. John Robert Monnier

Dr. John Robert Monnier, 76, of Columbia, died on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Born in Quincy, IL, on February 5, 1948, he was a son of the late John Edward and Bonnye Gayle Steimer Monnier. He grew up on a farm, the second of nine children in rural Basco, Illinois. John earned his BS in Chemistry from St. Ambrose College in Davenport, IA, and later his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Milwaukee was where he first fell in love with sailing and being on the water, a passion that led to years of boat ownership on Lake Ontario and, later, in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Monnier was a research scientist at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, NY from 1978 to 1993 and later at Eastman Chemical Research Laboratories in Kingsport, TN from 1993-2004. In 2004, Dr. Monnier shifted from industry to academics, becoming a Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, where he was still working until his death. Dr. Monnier truly enjoyed mentoring and being part of the lives of numerous undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students over the past 20 years. He has published over 100 journal articles and holds over 30 U.S. Patents. In 2017, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering, a huge honor. John loved his family, never missing an opportunity to show how proud he was of them. He also loved spoiling and (over) feeding his dogs, Bruno and Ollie. He had a great sense of humor and warmth and enjoyed nothing more than catching up with old friends and family over drinks and a good meal, retelling and embellishing misadventures and laughing loudly. John could start a conversation with anyone at any time and under any circumstance. John was a beloved and engaged grandfather to his six grandchildren, always interested in talking and playing with them. He was his kids’ and grandkids’ biggest cheerleader. He was an excellent storyteller, regaling his suburban-raised kids and grandkids with stories from his childhood on a farm, the best of which involved a very angry bull named Sunny Boy. John was a very committed, but frequently disappointed, Buffalo Bills fan. He had a fierce work ethic and sense of responsibility but maintained humility. He was whip-smart and loved to solve problems, whether fixing a lawnmower, building a new reactor for his laboratory, working through a new catalytic process, or helping his son-in-law on home maintenance projects over FaceTime. Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Pamela (Pam) Monnier; daughter, Dr. Susanne Cabrera (Jose), of Wauwatosa, WI; sons, Philip Monnier (Monica), of Oak Park, IL and Stephen Monnier (Calli), of Verona, WI; grandchildren, Lucas Cabrera, Simon Cabrera, Margot Cabrera, Fern Monnier, Juniper Monnier, Sylvie Monnier; siblings, Stephen Monnier, of Tucson, AZ, David Monnier, of Savannah, TN, Mary Reed, of Quincy, IL, LouAnn Metternich, of Nauvoo, IL, and Nancy Halpin, of Bethlehem, PA; as well as a host of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Daniel Monnier, of Grapevine, TX, Paul Monnier of Warsaw, IL, and Mark Monnier, of Mammoth Cave, KY. The Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Monnier will be held at 10 o’clock on Monday, April 15th at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 100 Polo Rd, Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends from 4 until 6 o’clock, Sunday evening, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia. Memorials may be made to FSHD Society at www.fshdsociety.org.

Tributes

Dr. John Robert Monnier

February 5, 1948 - April 6, 2024