Edward Lee Mantonya of Deepwater, Missouri, peacefully passed away in his home on November 11, 2024.
Edward was born to Melvin Edward Mantonya and Julia Vesper Humbert Mantonya on November 27, 1936, in Norwalk, California. When he was a young teen, he attended a large Youth for Christ rally in Los Angeles and gave his heart to Jesus. Later he was sprinkled into membership at the Methodist church. He and his dad made numerous trips to the deserts and smaller mountain ranges around the Los Angles country side. He owned a variety of pets in his young years: a white owl, a gopher, a skunk, an opossum, raccoons, dogs, a goat, as well as snapping and desert turtles.
In 1953, when he was 16, Edward’s family returned to Henry County, Missouri, where his dad was raised. Edward told his friends that he was coming to live a life on a farm where he could hunt, fish, and find a Missouri wife. Edward began his junior year of high school in Warsaw. He’d already taken many advanced technical and shop classes during his first two years at Whittier High School and was ahead of the other students at Warsaw High School. At one point, his shop teacher told him to quit showing the other boys short cuts because they were getting projects done too quickly, and families couldn’t afford to pay for other projects. Edward graduated in 1955.
He joined the United States Missouri National Guard on June 7, 1954, and was discharged in July 1962 with a rank of SP4. In June 1955, he started employment at KC Terminal Railways at Union Station in Kansas City. On June 15, 1956, he married his sweetheart Helen F. Gaylord at Finey Baptist Church in Henry County. They lived next door to Edward’s cousin Les Hayes in Merriam, Kansas, until Edward was laid off due to crew decreases at the KC Terminal in November 1957.
They attended church with the Hayes family at Merriam Christian Church and eventually joined. Ed was baptized by immersion.
Ed and Helen moved back to the family farm in Henry County and lived there while Edward worked for Bishop’s Gunstock factory in Warsaw. They weren’t making enough to live on, and Helen couldn’t find work, so on January 8, 1958, they left for California, where good jobs were available. Edward’s parents had already moved back to California and had a home where Ed and Helen could live. With $75 to their name, they started the trip on a Monday night intending to drive straight through to Whittier. They arrived on January 10, 1958.
They all moved back to Missouri in 1959. Edward and Helen, along with their daughter, Vicky Jo (born November 10, 1958) moved to a farm in McGirk, Missouri. Edward picked up work at several other farms, and Helen picked up housework to survive. They began attending Lebanon Baptist Church, and Edward was baptized a third time. During his time there, he began to grow spiritually. Edward was ordained as a deacon at Finey Baptist Church on April 23, 1961.
In August 1960, they moved back to the Warsaw area, where he drove busses for the R-10 school district. Edward also took a job with BH Stewart and worked on farm land below where the Truman Reservoir is located. Edward and Helen began to open their home to many relatives and friends who needed a change of location or a safe spot to land. Over a span of thirty years, these included Bill Edwards, Kenneth Coones, Frank Coones, Joann Coones, Justin Coones, Larry Jameson, Mike Mehan, and Tom Conroy.
In 1961, he found additional part-time work with Reinhart Fajen’s Incorporated, a top gunstock carver for rifles. Edward developed problems with his lungs and realized this work would eventually kill him. In December 1967, he started a correspondence trade course from Commercial Trades International in Chicago. He finished school in April 1969 and resigned from Fajen’s in September. During this time, his daughter Kathy Sue (January 1, 1963) and son Michael Lee (July 21, 1969) were born.
In 1982, Edward was appointed as a Carrier dealer to represent the Warsaw area, and his part-time business became a full-time business. Edward and Helen ran the business together as a partnership. Edward did the training of many employees throughout the years, as well as installations, while Helen controlled the office. In 1996, Ed’s Refrigeration, Heating & Electrical incorporated and built a new building on Hwy Z.
Edward was a member and deacon at Cedar Grove Baptist. He recommended Bill Hix as pastor for Cedar Grove without knowing that God had already told Bill he was to preach there. Ed was instrumental in the first remodel and new building expansions. He worked many hours installing electrical and HVAC in the new spaces.
Edward retired in 2001, when he turned 65, but continued doing odd jobs around the business until the spring of 2011. His son, Michael, took over the operations. In retirement, Ed and Helen attended Finey Baptist and Lowry City Baptist and eventually moved their membership to Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Deepwater. Edward, having given his heart to God so many years before, was faithful to the end and eager to be with his Lord.
Edward leaves behind his wife Helen, of 68 years, as well as their children Vicky Church (Clinton, Missouri), Kathy O’Dell (Calhoun, Missouri), and Michael Mantonya (Deepwater, Missouri); grandchildren Sarah Church Austin, Jacob Church, Zachary, Brandon, Alexis, and Mya Mantonya; step grandson Joshua Shinn; great grandchildren Livie, Elijah, Lexon, Lilli; and step great grandchildren Jamison and Presley. Edward was preceded in death by his parents and three sons-in-law Kermit Shinn, Wayne Church, and Martin O’Dell.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:30 P.M. Monday, November 18, 2024 at the Reser Funeral Home in Warsaw. Visitation will be held from 2:00 until 4:00 P.M. Saturday, November 16, 2024 at the Reser Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the City Union Mission c/o the Reser Funeral Home.
