Edward "Ed" T. Monson

Funeral services for Edward "Ed" T. Monson of Gatzke, MN will be held on Friday, December 21st at 11 AM at Riverside Lutheran Church in Wannaska, MN.  Visitation will be on Thursday evening from 5-7 PM with a 7:00 prayer service at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau; and one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be at the Moose River Township Cemetery.

Edward “Ed” Thomas Monson passed away peacefully with family present on December 16, 2018 at LifeCare Roseau Manor at the age of 78.

Ed was born on October 10, 1940 in Roseau, MN to Ruth (Peterson) and Edwin Monson.  He attended Gatzke Elementary School and Middle River High School graduating in 1958.  He worked road construction for a short period of time.  He married Maxine Anderson of Middle River in 1961, and the couple made their home in Roseau, where Ed worked for Roseau Electric Cooperative as a Material Clerk.  He became restless with the office job and began working with Irvin Johnson learning the electrician’s trade.  After obtaining his journeyman’s license he worked at Polaris Industries as an electrician.

While in Roseau, he and Maxine added to their family.  Daughter Colleen, and sons Tom, Brad, and Greg brought joy and laughter into their lives.  Every day was an adventure!  Ed felt confined living in town and he felt the family farm calling to him.  In 1973, they moved to a trailer house near his parent’s house on the family farm in Gatzke.  There he raised dairy cattle, beef cattle, and grain crops for many years. They quickly outgrew the trailer house and so built their current home in 1976.  He continued to work as a residential and commercial electrician while farming, and soon advanced his licensure to A Master Electrician and Electrical Contractor.  Soon he left the farming life and devoted his time to the electrical business, Monson Electric.  His son Brad joined the electrical business, taking it over after Ed retired in 2005.

When he was not working, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, in the great outdoors.  He loved camping, hunting partridge and deer, and following his children’s activities.  He was active in the church, on the local school board, and a loyal fan of the” Back Behind the Barn Boys”.  He enjoyed dancing to country music and loved life, sharing his unique sense of humor with those around him. 

He served on the church council at United Lutheran Church in Gatzke, MN.  In 2011, Ed and Maxine became members of the Riverside Lutheran Church in Wannaska, MN. 

Ed was a 10-year cancer survivor and struggled with progressive dementia over the last few years.  Though he battled admirably, he eventually required nursing home care, and became a resident of LifeCare Roseau Manor in July 2018.  His sense of humor allowed him to connect with the staff and residents of the nursing home.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Maxine Monson of Gatzke, MN; children Colleen (Sanford) Klamar of Roseau; Brad (Kris) Monson of Grygla; Greg (Maureen) of Grygla; daughter-in-law Jackie (Gary) Ryba; and grandchildren Rachel (Steve) Lindstrom of Roseau; Ryan Klamar of Roseau; Amanda Monson of Moorhead; Breanna Monson of Roseau; Drew (Heather) Monson of Thief River Falls; Erin Monson of Grygla; Alaina Monson of Grygla; Elise Monson of Grygla;  great-grandchildren Lauren and Michael Lindstrom of Roseau; sister Barbara (Clayton) Carlson of Roseau; nephew Michael Carlson of Fargo; great-nephew Gabriel Carlson of Roseau; two brothers-in-law Donald (Darlene) Anderson of Osceola, WI, and Calvin Anderson of Winona, MN; four sisters-in-law Pat Swan of Madison, WI, Juneve Givers of West Fargo, ND, Wanda Johaneson of Princeton, MN, and Jan Anderson of Thief River Falls, MN; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. 

He was preceded in death by his son Thomas Monson; parents Edwin and Ruth Monson; nephews, Jeffrey Carlson and
Casey Johaneson; brothers-in-law Robert Anderson, Robert Swan, Dave Givers; mother-in-law Thelma Toren and step-father-in-law Robert Toren.

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