Monte Gene Haworth

Monte Gene Haworth was born in Lynwood, California on July 20,1932 to Lawrence and Novella Haworth. He was their second son following his brother, Elvin. He grew up in Lynwood until his father, Lawrence, a petroleum chemist, developed lead poisoning while working with asphalt and needed to leave Krieger Oil Company for health reasons. The family decided to move to Lodi, California, as Novella’s siblings lived there and had established a nursery there, called Baker’s Nursery. They lived in Lodi for a year or so until Lawrence (LG) found a dairy farm to purchase in Chowchilla, California. In 1942, they moved to Chowchilla and began a new life in the dairy business. This business grew to include a bird farm that Novella started, and the name changed to “Haworth Dairy, Farm and Bird Ranch”.

Gene grew in many ways on the farm, learning to drive tractors, rake and bale hay and milk cows, just to name a few. When it was time to attend high school, He attended Lodi Academy in Lodi, California from 1949-1951. While attending high school, he played basketball, was in several clubs and worked in his uncles’ nursery. He enjoyed his time in Lodi and often spoke of the times there and what it taught him. It was during his time attending Lodi Academy he met a young lady named Virginia Beglau.

After high school graduation, he enrolled at La Sierra College, in Riverside, California, studying chemistry. Upon completing his first semester, his father and brother stopped and picked him up on their way to Arizona to pick cotton. Thus, his educational aspirations ended, and his farming career began.

Soon thereafter, he was drafted into the US Army. Upon completing basic training, he was sent to the US Army base at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where he was trained as a medic and drove an ambulance. This was during the Korean War. He was never deployed to Korea.

After completing his 2 year military obligation, he was honorably discharged and moved back to Chowchilla, California. He rejoined his family on the dairy farm. He did not forget about the girl he met in high school, named Virginia Beglau. They reconnected and were married in 1956, in Lodi, California. Together, they moved to Chowchilla and started their life together. Soon, they were blessed with four children named Wendell, Sandra, Gregory and John. Gene became an accomplished farmer, growing crops such as wheat, cotton, corn, potatoes, carrots, rice, basil, onions, lettuce, various seed crops and almonds.

Gene spent his last days at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, California after a fall, where he passed away on November 14, 2021. He was 89 years old. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Novella. He is survived by his four children, Wendell, Sandy and Greg, all who reside in Chowchilla and John, who lives in Colorado. His brother, Elvin Haworth, who resides in Chowchilla. He was blessed with 8 grandchildren, Steven, Eric and Jason Haworth of Chowchilla, Lisa Montgomery of Aptos, California, Kristal Montgomery, residing in Denver, Colorado, Owen Haworth, who resides in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Ethan Haworth, residing in Memphis, Tennessee and Jeff Haworth, who resides in Denver, Colorado. He was further blessed with three great grandchildren, Clay, Zachary and Quinn Haworth.

A memorial service is planned for Gene and Virginia Haworth at the Chowchilla SDA church at 11:00 am on May 6, 2022, following the 10:00 graveside service for his wife, Virginia Haworth.

He is interned at the Chowchilla Cemetery. Virginia, his wife will be interned beside him on May 6, 2022. He was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, a lifelong Seventh Day Adventist, who believed in Jesus. He had the hope of Jesus' return and life eternal with him and his family. We will see you again!