Jim Monahan

Our loving father and grandfather, affectionately known as 'Big Jim' Monahan, passed away on the morning of April 22, 2023. Having recently celebrated his 85th birthday with a large St. Patrick's Day Parade gathering, the self-proclaimed 'World's Biggest Leprechaun' described that day as he did every day that he gathered with family, 'One of the best days of his life.'

            He was born and raised in West Allis, Wisconsin, graduating from Pius XI Catholic High School where he had become a basketball standout. Standing at six foot seven inches tall, and with that seventh inch barring him from U.S. military service, he headed to New Orleans on a basketball scholarship to Loyola University. After college, he started a family in New Orleans and began working at Charles Dennery. He transferred into the Automobile Industry and spent most of his career as a fixture at Pontchartrain Cadillac. He was a devout Catholic and volunteered numerous hours to the church throughout his life. He raised our family in St. Clement of Rome Parish where he was president of the Men's Club, prayed regularly with the sick at East Jefferson Hospital, and became known for baking his mom's fresh bread for fellow parishioners. He was the reason that our home on Danny Park became the house where all of the neighborhood kids played. After work on weeknights, or after he meticulously cut the lawn on weekends, he could be seen playing quarterback for both teams in our front yard or taking a flock of kids to an open space around the corner to fly kites. In his later life, he moved to the northshore where he spent years manning the three a.m. Adoration post at St. Peter's Church in Covington. He became a fixture on the Tammany Trace Bike Trail for years, riding his three-wheeled recumbent bike 20-40 miles a day, several days a week. He was known to tell a great story (or two) and for having a wonderful sense of humor. He marked as his best accomplishments his recent induction into the Pius XI Athletic Hall of Fame, surpassing 40,000 miles on his bike odometer and, most importantly, creating the 'Fab Five' who are left to mourn his loss along with their beautiful families. For all of us who dearly loved him, Big Jim's sudden departure has created a void that we will try to fill with cherished memories of the kind, loving, compassionate man whose heart was as big as he was tall.

            Jim was preceded in death by his parents Edward George Monahan and Gertrude E. Flood, siblings Jack (the late Louise) Monahan and Mary (the late Jim) Levenhagen. He is survived by his sister Ginger (the late Karl) Toth, sister-in-law Marilyn Schneider (Jack) Monahan, children Shannon (Mark) Olivier, Kevin Monahan, Allison (David) Wheeler, Erin (Martin) Hayes and Michael B. (Loren) Monahan, grandchildren Brett Olivier, Tyler Olivier, Savannah Monahan, Madyson Hayes, Zackery Hayes, Brady Monahan, Finn Monahan, and Michael C. Monahan, as well as numerous loving nieces and nephews.

            The family thanks the staff at Our Lady of Wisdom in whose care he remained for the last four years. Family and Friends are invited to attend Visitation on Friday, April 28, 2023 from 9:00 until Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. at Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home, 3827 Canal St, New Orleans, La.

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