Mar 15, 2018

Colorado grower-shipper Ed Monson dies at 73

Longtime Colorado onion and carrot grower-shipper Joseph (Ed) Monson, 73, of Greeley, Colorado March 11, 2018 at his home surrounded by his family.

Ed worked with his own father and uncle growing onions and carrots first in Henderson, Colorado, and then in the farm’s new location in Greeley.

At the National Onion Association, which is headquartered in Greeley, Ed served on the board of trustees for many years, and Monson Bros. was a member company.

According to a published obituary, Ed was born April 19, 1944 and grew up in Henderson, Colorado on Monson Bros. family farm with his father Joe and mother Kathleen Monson and his two sisters, Joann and Marlene.

Upon graduating from Colorado State University, he pursued a career in flower growing, first roses for Katayama Greenhouses, and later for Amato Greenhouses in Brighton. However, his love for farming eventually led him back to the carrot and onion fields of northern and eastern Colorado where he found his life’s work farming with his father and sister at Monson Bros. Co..

Upon retiring from farming, he enjoyed traveling about the country, scouting crops for the Michael Cutler Produce Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Ed married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Amato, and they raised their children in Brighton, Galeton, and Greeley. Martin his son and wife Amy blessed Ed with two grandchildren, and Aundrea his daughter and husband Castulo Venegas blessed him with five grandchildren.

A Life Celebration Service will be held 2:30 p.m.. Friday, March 16, 2018 at St. Paul’s Congregational Church, 1525 43rd Ave., Greeley. Interment will follow at Linn Grove Cemetery.