Brittany Faren Monaco September 18, 1985 - September 9, 2013

Brittany Monaco, a Sisters High School graduate, class of 2003/04, passed away on September 9, in Portland from complications related to Cystic Fibrosis.

For those who knew her during her childhood in Sisters, many will recall Brittany as a resilient and thoughtful young woman, who strove to forge meaningful and lasting relationships wherever she went.

In the course of her 27-plus years of life, before Facebook ever existed, Brittany was the queen of social networking, reaching out to individuals from different walks of life.

Her friendships spanned across generations and backgrounds, yet always shared a common theme: a desire to live a life of connection and authenticity.

Even after undergoing a lung transplant in 2008, Brittany refused to allow her fight against Cystic Fibrosis to define her.

Instead, she devoted her energy to making more friends, working and living a life filled with as many experiences as possible, including a swim with the dolphins, her lifelong dream which she accomplished at Discovery Cove in Florida.

By pursuing her dreams and holding onto hope, Brittany lived life with unparalleled resilience and gratitude for friends, family and life. Thank you, Brittany for demonstrating how to live a life defined not by fear, but by love and gratitude; may we all hope to live with such grace. You will forever be in our hearts and remembered each time we look up to the stars, where we know you will always shine.

Brittany is survived by her mother and step-father, Denise and Ron Thierfelder; grandparents, Fern and Lou Monaco who reside in Portland, Oregon; and by her elder sister, Jessica Cunningham with her husband, Cuyler and four children, Dylan, Brooke, Gavan and Ava, who reside in Jupiter, Florida.

Join Brittany's family in a public Celebration of Brittany's Life Sunday, October 13, at 2 p.m., Sunnyside Little Chapel of The Chimes, 11667 S.E. Stevens Rd., Portland, OR.

A fund has been established by Brittany's family to support ongoing research to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis and for Brittany's memorial. Please consider supporting online by going to: bit.ly/brittanymonaco.