Monetta L. Reed

Family and friends are invited to attend the celebration of life for Monetta Reed on February 4th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a prayer service starting at 4:00 p.m. at Helgeson Funeral Chapel in Roseau, MN. Interment will take place at Pine Grove Cemetery on a later date.  

Monetta Louise Reed, age 89, of Roseau, MN, left us suddenly Monday evening, January 27th, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. She was born October 15th, 1935, in Buffalo South Dakota to Roland and Sarah (Lewis) Cole. 

When Monetta was a year old her parents moved them south of Warroad, MN on the edge of the Beltrami Forest. She went to school at Reine U5 and in 1950 she finished 8th grade. She continued her education in Roseau but there weren’t any school buses that went out their way so in the winter months she would stay with her Uncle Frank and Aunt Flora close to Roseau.  

On October 20th, 1953, Monetta married Leonard Reed, and together they raised five children on a farm in the Pencer area. She enjoyed raising sheep, at one time she had 300 head of sheep. She raised chickens for meat and eggs and worked in her big garden. She did a lot of canning to supply food for her family, she also worked at Marvin Windows for 28 years. She loved dancing, never missing a town hall dance, spending time with family, geocaching, crocheting and was a first-class fisherman. Growing up on the edge of Beltrami Forest, Monetta knew her way around the forest very well, knowing all the best blueberry patches. 

 After Leonard passed away, she moved off the farm and lived in an apartment for several years in Warroad just down the hall from her daughter Edie. She would walk down the hall to visit Edie every morning to see what was for supper that day. Edie would also give her rides up town when she needed and once a month would take her to the casino. In July of 2024 she moved to Roseau with her granddaughter Arrial and her family. She enjoyed being there, getting daily love from her great grandchildren Emma, Trenton, Xander and Zayne. She loved not having to make her own meals. They have 10 chickens and every day she wanted to know how many eggs they laid. 

 Monetta enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles on her computer and keeping up with everyone on Facebook. She looked forward to going to her daughter Kelly’s cabin. Together they would enjoy playing pinochle, feeding the birds, and watching for bears and squirrels with the dogs. Sitting on the deck, getting sun and watching the hummingbirds were a favorite summer pastime. Monetta loved Lutefisk, potato dumplings, grilled cheese, lefse but most of all ice cream cones.  

Monetta was preceded by death by her parents, Roland and Sarah, her husband of 50 years, Leonard Reed; two sons Herbert and Leslie; sisters Clara, Bonnie and Baby Girl; brother Douglas; Brother-in-laws Dale Hultgren, William (Gladys) Reed, George (Mertrice) Reed, Earl (Marylou & Darlene) Reed: Sister-in-law Amy (John) Coulthart and Great Grandchildren Jaxtyn Rodriguez and Brooklynn Rose Cota. 

Monetta is survived by her children, Edith (Rodney) Nelson, Kelly (Lonnie) Hendrickson and Leonard Jr. (Carla Marie) Reed; Daughter-in-laws Kathy Nelson and Candi Reed; Grandchildren Scott (Kateri) Reed Nelson, Katie (Daniel) Rodriquez, Samantha Reed, Lowell Nelson, Casey (Katie) Nelson, Cassandra (Rob) Bugg, Lindsey (Vince) Cota, Arrial (Lee) Lovelace, Thomas (Meranda) Hendrickson, Christy (Britta) Konig; Bonus Grandchildren Marsha Nelson, Tanya Nelson, Felisha Elde, Liana Rasmussen, Russell Bottila; many great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren; sister Ettie Hultgren; sister-in-law Jean Cole and many nieces and nephews.  

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