Roger Monen

Lester, IA

      Roger Monen, age 69 of Lester, IA died Saturday, November 30, 2019 at his home surrounded by family in Lester.

     Funeral service will be 10:30 AM Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at Seeds of Faith Church in Lester, IA with Pastor Brent Eliason officiating. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Lester.

     Visitation will be Tuesday, December 3^rd from 4:00 to 7:00 PM with family present at the Seeds of Faith Church in Lester.

     In lieu of flowers family wish memorials which will be designated to at a later date.

     Roger Allen Monen, 69, was born Aug 19, 1950 at Sioux Valley hospital in Sioux Falls the youngest of 6 kids to Gidvert and Lenore (Aashiem) Monen. Rog was raised for the most part in rural western Lyon county Iowa and attended West Lyon school.

     As a kid he mastered the world of mischief and pranks and early on became a memorable member of the factious Klondike Mafia. Many of his old side-kicks have remained life-long friends. He hung out with the likes of Squirrel, Coose, Torque Wrench, Festus, King Boar, Driver, Caveman, Twiggy, Buck, Birdo, Dutchman, Blackie, Buffalo, the Runts, Ezzy, Spader, Zooba, Cob, Pork Chop, Skinner, Chief and many other characters. He also had many normal friends!

     Roger was in junior high when he got the notion to pull a prank on one of his teachers. The guy drove his "baby", a little VW bug. The boys decided they could squeeze that 169 inch car length­wise between two trees that were 170 inches apart if they worked together. They quickly did just that and then they ran for the bus. What a wonderful surprise they left for their teacher!

     He found his passion for hitting the road when he only 17. His vehicle of preference was a conventional Peterbuilt with a powerful Cat engine pulling a spread axle bull-rack. He traveled the country on 18 wheels and loved the adventure. His favorite "run" was out west to the Montana ranches in the fall. His career in the furniture business with his wife interrupted his trucking fun for many years but he always had trucking on his mind.

     He married the love of his life, Cheryl Ageson in Sept 1972. They were blessed with 4 sons. Brian was born in 1974, at which point we realized we weren't equipped to raise kids so we would just stick with one. That plan lasted for 13 years then we had Adam. In 1990, Mitchell was born and in 1993 we were blessed with Jordan. Roger passed on his mischief gene to his boys and the circus began. Eventually, the Monen Mafia developed the best pranks ever. They always chalked it up to "just making memories".

     Rog told his boys about one time when he was with some friends in Inwood and they thought about doing something to the city cop. His patrol car was parked on main street so they had their chance when the cop wasn't looking. They jacked up his cop car and set it on blocks. Then they proceeded to race and pull donuts down main street. The ole cop ran to his car in hot pursuit but was unable to move. That was good for a laugh!

     Then there was the time Rog and Buck were out in Sioux Falls with us wives and they noticed a fella they went to school with pull his taxi in front of a motel, left it running, and went inside to pick up a rider. Perfect time to steal the taxi and it went off without a hitch. They didn't drive it far cause they needed to get back to the front to see his reaction. It was PRICELESS! And then, of course, they hightailed it out of there before the cops came!

     And, by the way, yeah, Rog was in on the prank with his 4 boys and his "other" boys when they blew-up the old van with a bucket of tannerite. The explosion rocked western Lyon county and resulted in a dozen 911 calls and a mass of firefighters and law enforcement officials. Yikes! They stuck to their story, "it was a controlled burn"! I would guess they deserved jail time for that. But, oh the memories!

     I could write a book about the endless pranks and it certainly puts the focus on our inability to parent. But, Rog loved his boys.. all of them…and it was unconditional.

     When our youngest kid, Jordan, was killed at his summer job, before his senior year in high school the game changed. Rog never recovered from his grief.  He laughed less.  Someone was missing.  He just felt he hadn't had enough time with that kid.

     I wonder now how God will handle both Jordan and the master of prankery at the same time!

Rog was diagnosed with both congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 2006. That slowed him down some. Then, on Nov 20, 2019 he was advised that he had widespread cancer and he said "Let's go home." He died 10 days later at home with his family near by. Obviously, he regretted picking up the smoking habit at the age of 12. But, there's little else that he would of changed in his life.

     He loved his family and truly enjoyed his years of raising paint horses and Norwegian elkhounds. He also cherished his awesome hunting, fishing, and trap shooting events along with his love of country music. He lived on his terms and always displayed his Norwegian block-headedness. And he made memories....lotza memories.

     Roger is survived by his wife of 47 years, 3 of his 4 sons, Brian and his wife April and their son Wyatt, of rural Inwood, IA, Adam and his wife Alyssa and their kids Aden, Ellie and Izzy of Centerville, SD and Mitchell of Larchwood. He is also survived by his brother and sister, Verne and Vivian.

     He was proceeded in death by his precious son, Jordan, his parents and 3 brothers, Loren, Donnie, and Gene.

     We will go on with smiles, laughter, forgiveness, faith and love. That will serve us well. Rest in peace my good man!