Kathleen Marie Monahan

Kathleen Marie Monahan, of Islamorada, Florida, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2024, in Miami after a brief illness. She was 77 years old. Kathleen was born on July 25, 1947, at Walter Reed General Hospital in Washington, D.C., to the late Lt. Col. Patrick Henry Monahan Sr., U.S. Army Air Corps, and Gertrude Mae “Penny” Pennell Monahan. She graduated from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, VA, and looked forward to class reunions throughout her life. She received her accounting degree from George Washington University, her MBA from American University, and earned an additional master’s degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF).

Kathleen raised her family in Arlington, VA. She had a long, successful civilian career in weapons procurement within the Department of the Navy. Her drive and ambition propelled her from secretary to becoming a member of the Senior Executive Service (the equivalent of a flag officer in the armed forces).

In retirement, she and her late husband, Captain Lyman Krekel, USN (Ret.), split their time between McLean, VA, and Islamorada in the Florida Keys until they moved down to the Keys permanently in 2012. They traveled extensively across the U.S. to the national parks as well as internationally. She especially loved their time in Italy along the Amalfi Coast and their transatlantic cruises on the Queen Mary 2. She also loved travel adventures with her grandsons. After Lyman’s passing in 2014, Kathleen embraced her adopted home, spending time with friends playing Mahjong and card games, participating in activities at the JOY Center, attending services at the Island Community Church, and soaking up local art and cultural events while building her beautiful dream home. She was a beloved member of the Village of Islamorada community.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lyman Krekel, and her brother, Patrick H. Monahan II. Survivors include her sister, Patricia Holden, of Kingwood, TX; her son, Edward H. “Ed” Barker IV, and his wife, Faye, of Arlington, VA; and her daughter, Christian Marie Eldringhoff, and her husband, Tim, of Kingwood, TX. She was a great friend and a wonderful mother, but to her favorite people, she was Nana. Kathleen is also survived by her three grandsons, Tyler Monahan Eldringhoff and Peyton Spaulding Eldringhoff, sons of Christian and Tim, and Edward H. “Bud” Barker V, son of Ed and Faye, as well as many extended relatives. She was the embodiment of an amazing grandmother and will be missed dearly by her “boys.”

She will be laid to rest alongside Lyman at Arlington National Cemetery.