Monahan steps down
Ex-Strang coordinator moves to Florida citing spouse’s health
Former Frank Strang Sr. Center coordinator Lauren Monahan, at right, met many special people during her 18 years of service, including actress Patricia Neal, who was a Knoxville native.
Lauren Monahan, who would have celebrated her 18th anniversary at the facility May 29, recently resigned, citing the ill health of her husband, Buz Monahan, which influenced the couple’s immediate move to Florida as reasons for her departure.
Buz Monahan has suffered from a variety of illnesses over the couple’s 20-year marriage, including chronic congestive heart failure. Lauren said “time was of the essence” in rushing the move.
Her last day in the office was Friday, May 18.
“I hate to see her go,” said April Tomlin, senior services manager for Knox County. “She has served for 18 great years, and she will be missed.”
Monahan was understandably sad about leaving the facility she has served for so long.
“There’s so many things I would like to say to the members of the Strang Senior Center,” she said. “First and foremost, I love and respect each and every one of them. I spend the last 18 years here in Knoxville, and they will always be part of my family no matter where I go.
“I would like to say a proper goodbye … I wish I could give every one of them an individual hug, but it is necessary to make arrangements (to leave) as soon as I can.
However, she continued, “I always thought I would return to Florida, which is my home, because I have so many family (members) there. It was my dream to retire, and be around them. In fact, when I came to Knoxville, I thought to myself that I would do my best to build up a new senior center here, and make it popular and robust.
“We came from a group of 50-60 founders, and turned it into nearly 6,000 members. I could not be prouder,” Monahan said. “We have built the senior center into something to be proud of, and now there will be a new center (according to a $750,000 appropriation in Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett’s 2018-19 fiscal years budget) for everyone that has put the time in and cared so much.”
Monahan said she has “been very fortunate to have been at the center for so long. It was my goal to meet wonderful people … I have been fortunate enough to have met Patricia O’Neal, Phil Fulmer, Johnny Majors, Peyton Manning and so many others that are such a strong part of (Knox County’s) heritage.”
A big part of Monahan’s life in recent years has been participating in local, state and national pageants, for which she most recently was crowned Ms. Senior United States.
“The membership was kind enough to support me in my endeavors in pageantry, to which we had a grand coronation ball in December as I took the crown as Ms. Senior United States,” she said. “I hope to make them all proud in July when I meet with President Trump and visit the White House.
“All I can say is thank you, thanks for the memories,” Monahan added about her time in Knox County. “You will be in my heart forever.”
Tomlin said she is working on finding a replacement who will “carry on a great program that serves our seniors.”
