Rose Anna Monson, 75

Published 9:01 am Saturday, May 5, 2018

Rose Anna Monson, 75, passed away peacefully at her home Wednesday, May 2, 2018, surrounded by her children – and after watching her beloved Minnesota Twins win one last time.

Rose was born Aug. 2, 1942, in Ware, Massachusetts, the daughter of Joseph W. and Margaret A. (Pierce) Tucker and was raised in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. She attended Worcester State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in teaching. She met and married Patrick Ahearn and taught for two years in Ware before staying home and raising their four children. They were later divorced. In 1974, Rose married Ardien Monson, and they moved to Minnesota with her four children in 1975. Two years later, they added a fifth child to the mix.

Rose Monson, 75

In Minnesota, Rose worked as a nurse’s aide at St. John’s Lutheran Home before going back to college in 1987 at Austin Community College, where she earned a bachelor’s of science in nursing. She joined St. Olaf’s Hospital in Austin, Minnesota, and worked in the intensive care unit for 23 years until her retirement in 2014.

Besides her beloved Twins, Rose took great joy in spoiling her 14 grandchildren and spending time with her five children. She also loved Tuesday coffee with Bernice and Bonnie, spending time with friends and visiting family in Massachusetts. Rose also loved to crochet blankets and towels and share them with others. She loved time in her flower garden, was an avid reader and couldn’t turn down an opportunity to shop.

Rose never missed one of her children’s sporting events and made every concert and event. Family was everything to her, and she proved this again with a trip to Massachusetts to visit her siblings, nieces and nephews, a shopping outing with her daughter and grandson the day after she returned, and one last outing to watch her grandson’s gymnastics meet. A week and a half later, the Good Lord called her home.

Rose wasn’t the biggest person, but her presence was larger than life. She positively impacted all the lives she touched. She overcame many obstacles in life, and even with a grim cancer diagnosis, she proved one last time she was one of the toughest, most scrappy women this generation has ever seen.

Rose is survived by her sisters, Catherine Strandberg of North Brookfield, Mabel (Ralph) Buzzell, of North Brookfield and Margaret (Richard) Steiger of Spencer, Massachusetts; five children, Candy (Duane) Ellingworth of Kasson, Minnesota, Denis (Hueiwen) Ahearn of Jordan, Minnesota, Cathy (Clyde) Cooper of Mankato, Minnesota, Paul Ahearn of North Mankato, Minnesota, and Doug (Mollie) Monson of Mankato; her 14 grandchildren, Emily and AnnaVay Ellingworth, Zachary, Henry and Sophia Ahearn, Sherry, Rosie and Robbie Cooper, Joseph, Thomas, Isaac and Madeline Ahearn, and Tyler and Emmitt Monson; two daughter in-laws, Tiffany Ahearn and Shelly Henk; stepchildren, Neal (Nancy) Monson, Belinda (John) Thomasian and Darla (Gregg) Ackerman; sisters-in-law, Bonnie (Pat) Maher, Gloria Bolhuis and Iona (Buzz) Boelter, brothers-in-law, Derald (Judy) Monson and Wally Monson; adopted daughter, Peiling Liu; many nieces and nephews; and her three cats, Benji, Inky and Lucky.

Rose was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Margaret Tucker; husband, Ardien Monson; brothern George Tucker; brother-in-law, Roy Strandberg; grandson, Charles Cooper; nephew, Kevin Tucker; and niece, Kelly Maher.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, May 7, 2018, at Emmons Lutheran Church in Emmons, Minnesota, with lunch to follow. Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, 2018, at Emmons Lutheran Church. Rose wished to return home to Massachusetts for her final resting place.