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by Stephanie Struyck Elgin
She was born and raised in Panama City, Panama. At the age of four, her father was hired by DuPont Company, and the family relocated to the United States…Wilmington, Delaware, to be exact.
Little did Monica know that this would be the birthplace of a budding romance, where she would meet the love of her life-her best friend, her husband and the father of her children.
It was the summer of 1982. Monica was 17 and Jim, 20. “When I saw her, I knew I had to meet her,” stated Jim.
“We met at a church carnival-St. Catherine’s of Siena in Wilmington, Delaware,” stated Monica. “I went to the carnival with a close friend of mine.” Sometime during the evening, a mutual friend of Jim and Monica introduced the two.
I guess you could say the rest is history.
Jim and Monica began dating, and their courtship continued for seven years.
December 22, 1988, Jim asked Monica to be his wife. “Jim and I were visiting from California,” stated Monica. “It was Jim’s father’s birthday and since everyone was in town for the holidays, Jim thought it would be a good time to ask.” Monica continued, “He asked me in the car on the way to the store to get ice. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I was completely surprised.”
“You see Monica and she is beautiful,” stated Jim. “Fortunately for me, she was and is also a very sympathetic person with a huge heart, and I have played on that over the last 30 years.”
“For some reason, I just knew he was the one.”
On July 14, 1989, the two became husband and wife. In 1999, they made their way to the west coast, making their home in Santa Clarita. They have three sons: Connor (18), Jack (16), and Mark (13).
“In a house full of boys, and even two dogs that are male, my principle responsibility has been making sure all the toilet seats are down, “ states a smiling Jim. “I have enjoyed the different chapters of life we have shared together, the time before the kids, when the children were babies, and now as they get older, we have more time for friends and community, which is very important to us.”
“I can’t express how much I appreciate how dedicated Jim is as a family man—a husband and a father. I appreciate his tremendous work ethic…I came from a family that put a lot of emphasis on education and work ethic, so I have these qualities instilled in me as well and I looked for it in my husband and he absolutely has the same traits. I love and appreciate the man he is very much.”
Jim and Monica both work in the film industry. Monica runs L.A. Film Locations and Jim has worked in Network Television Location Management for almost 30 years. Being as busy as they are, they manage to find time for each other. “It’s about respect and acceptance,” states Monica. “We continue to change, grow and evolve as individuals and naturally, the marriage changes as well. It’s important to embrace this, and enjoy the relationship.”
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