Marjorie Jean Monte Obituary (1937 - 2022)

Marjorie Jean Harvey Monte, 85, of Brawley, passed away peacefully at home on the family ranch Thursday, April 7, 2022. Marjorie was born on March 2, 1937 in Brawley, California and was known by friends as "Mickey". She was the third (3rd) daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Harvey of Westmorland and spent all of her life in the Westmorland area of the Imperial Valley. She was very proud to be a native of Westmorland. She attended grade school in Westmorland, and graduated from Brawley Union High School in the "Class of 1955". By the age of nineteen she was in a partnership with her dad in the cattle business. In 1957 she sold cattle to a farmer named Robert J. Monte. Three years later Mickey married Robert on April 21, 1960 uniting two early pioneer families of the Imperial Valley. They farmed together for over 60 years at their ranch on Loveland Road in Brawley. Together Bob and Mickey raised two children Mark and Mary Ann. She was a charter 4-H member of the Westmorland 4-H Club and showed her first animal, a dairy heifer, at the California Mid-Winter Fair on the day she turned 9 years old. She went on to be instrumental in the Chartering of two other 4-H Clubs, the Family 4-H Club and the Star Route 4-H Club. 4-H has always come natural to Mickey as she has been active in the 4-H Youth Development Program at Club, County, Regional, State, Western Region, National and IFYE, an International level of 4-H participation. She received the California State Leader Award in 1983 and was the first State Diamond Star Advisor to come from the Imperial Valley from 1994-1998. Mickey was also a part of the Girl Scout program for over 20 years. She served on the Board of Directors for San Diego and Imperial County from 1982-1997. She was also the National Girl Scout Delegate in 1994-1996 and received the Girl Scout President Award in 1995. She also took pride in the work she did as a member of the Brawley Women's Club. She served as president for 5 years. She was an active Westmorland Lions Club member in which she held several offices. She also supported the Imperial Valley Women's Christian Temperance Union and was a member of the Red Hat Society. It goes without saying that her greatest passion was to help the youth of Imperial Valley acquire skills in various aspect of life so they could achieve their greatest potential. She also enjoyed hunting and fishing with Robert and you could also find her among her many plants. Mickey is preceded in death by her husband, Robert J. Monte, her mother, Marjorie Harvey, her father, James Harvey: her sisters, Virginia Ann Robbins, Doris Ellen Hoff, Nancy Jane Harvey, and Rita Kay Harvey. Mickey is survived by her son, Mark M. Monte and his wife Deanne Brixey Monte of LaJolla, CA; daughter, Mary Ann Monte Smith of Westmorland, CA; Grandson, Matthew Smith and his wife Kristen Weekes Smith of Imperial, CA; Granddaughter, Jeanine Smith Mora and her Husband Jose Mora of Imperial; and Great-granddaughters, Riley Smith, Kenley Smith, Zaelyn Mora and Elliotte Mora. Visitation will be Friday, April 22nd starting at 6 p.m. at Frye Chapel and Mortuary in Brawley. Memorial services will be Saturday, April 23rd starting at 2 p.m. at Frye Chapel and Mortuary in Brawley. The service will be followed by an early dinner starting at 4 p.m. and the location will be announced at the service. Graveside services will be Wednesday, April 27th at 10 a.m. at San Jacinto Valley Cemetery in San Jacinto, CA. In lieu of flowers or donations, Mickey asks that you do three things for her: 1-Stop and smell the roses. 2-Pass on what you know to someone else; and 3-When life gets tough; get a rope, tie a knot, and just hang on tight!