Richard Eugene Monaco

Richard Eugene Monaco passed away on December 1, 2023 at the Veteran’s Home in Boulder City, Nevada. He was born on January 25, 1931 to Alphonso Lewise and Emma Mary (Serricchio) Monaco in Pueblo, Colorado. He married Martha Jean (Camus) and had three children, Robert, Tamara, and Rene Monaco.

Richard prided himself on his La Junta High School football career where he took his team to two Colorado State Championships. He was known as “Ice Cube” due to his coolness under pressure. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies and Physical Education at Western Colorado University and a Master’s degree in Social Work at Virginia Commonwealth University. He was married December 29,1953, and a few months later, he was inducted into the Army where he served in Germany at the end of the Korean War. Upon returning to the States, his life work focused on Social Work at the Colorado State Hospital and later, at his private practice Bridge Counseling in Denver. He also hosted his “Straight Talk with Monaco” radio show in Denver, his musical production benefit “The Aquarians”, and later in Las Vegas, he supported political candidates’ election campaigns. He had a determined personality, living life the way he wanted, and never gave up until the very end.

Richard was predeceased by parents Alphonso and Emma Monaco, son Rene Eugene Monaco, brothers Edward (Billie) Monaco, Alphonso (Anne) Monaco, Reynold (Janice) Monaco, Louis (Carol) Monaco, and sisters Irene Rose “Sally”(Gene) Marchand, Ruth Anne Boone (Joe) Visker, and Marietta Monaco (in Italy).

He is survived by his sister Emma Jean Roundtree, son Robert (Janet) Monaco, daughter Tamara Monaco, grandchildren Ryan Monaco, Christine Monaco, Jialing Monaco, William Combs, Aaron Combs, and Riley Monaco, and many nieces and nephews.

A service will be held on December 29, 2023 at 10:40 a.m. in the Chapel at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Memorial Drive, Boulder City, NV 89005.