Monique Kathleen Parkin, 26, of Wilmington, passed away Jan. 2. She was born in South Africa on Jan. 2, 1986, daughter of Karen Allway Parkin and Simon Parkin. She was a 2004 graduate of Laney High School and attended Cape Fear Community College.

Parkin was employed with Apple Annie's Bake Shop for 10 years and also worked at Wilmington's Best Rentals. She was a member of The Crest Fitness Center at Wrightsville Beach.

Surviving in addition to her parents are her sister, Dr. Natalie-Anne Reinhart and husband, Michael of Wilmington; her brother, Grant Joseph Parkin of Wilmington; maternal grandmother, Patricia Courtney and maternal grandfather, George Allway, both of South Africa; an aunt, Clare Parkin and a cousin, Rebecca Parkin, both of the United Kingdom; goddaughter, Ryla; family friends, Christine Longordo and Cheryl Popovec and husband, Jerry, and her pseudo-grandparents, Jeep and Barbara Stapleton.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5, at Andrews Mortuary Valley Chapel with Rev. Jonathan Barfield officiating. Attendees are asked to wear something pink in her honor.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 1015 Ashes Drive, Suite 101, Wilmington, NC, 28405, 910-509-9793.