Olga Leon Monteagudo

As unique and memorable as her name, Olga was a joyful, generous, and curious soul who found deep meaning in connection with family, friends, and anyone lucky enough to be invited over for dinner. Whether over a lovingly prepared meal or a glass of peach sangria on her front porch, she had a gift for creating community through hospitality.

For her family, her favorite tradition was the sobremesa—the Cuban ritual of lingering around the table after dinner, swapping stories, debating ideas, and savoring each other’s company. There was no rush to clean up; the best part of the evening was just beginning.

Her friends in Maysville, Georgia knew that same warmth through the "porch parties" she hosted and attended. A circle of 10-15 women gathered with food, drink, and heartfelt connection.

Olga both gave and received immense generosity. The strong connections she made with the Gardner family helped her rebuild her life after fleeing Cuba. And after losing her husband at age 64, Hilda McCurdy provided the foundation for a new life in Maysville, Georgia. As she received, Olga gave back. She was a living example of generosity, establishing and managing a clothes donation closet at her church and sponsoring five children through school with Compassion International. She was infamous at her local vet for catching stray cats to be fixed or receive care.

Olga had a wide range of passions: she loved Renaissance art, Spanish literature, and the soaring voices of the Three Tenors (plus Nat King Cole). She was a history buff, an avid traveler, and a proud cat lady with a soft spot for strays. She loved designing elaborate tablescapes for each month of the year and tending to her famous hydrangeas. Above all, she adored her family, especially her grandchildren, Rachel and Ethan.

Born on a farm near Nuevitas, Cuba in 1928, Olga considered Santa Clara home. She studied at Young Harris College in Georgia, graduating in 1950, and returned to Cuba only to flee Castro’s regime years later. She built a new life in Georgia with her husband Isidoro, earned a Master’s in Education from the University of Georgia, and taught Spanish at Avondale and Dunwoody High Schools until her retirement in the early 1990s. She spent her final decades in Maysville.

On July 4, 2025, at the age of 96, Olga peacefully answered the call home to Jesus. She is survived by her son, Victor “Pito” Monteagudo, and her grandchildren Rachel and Ethan. She was preceded in death by her husband Isidoro Monteagudo, her sister Maria Lalia Leon, and her parents Victor Leon de Roca and Clora Diaz.

To know Olga was to be welcomed, listened to, and loved. And if you were lucky, you got to stay for sobremesa.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 1:00 pm at Winters Chapel United Methodist Church, 5105 Winters Chapel Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30360. Refreshments and a time for shared memories will follow in the Fellowship Hall until 2:45 pm, with a private burial for family taking place afterward.

In lieu of flowers, Olga has requested donations be made to: Wellroot Family Services (formerly Decatur Methodist Children’s Home), 1967 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 400, Tucker, GA 30084. Phone: (404) 327-5820. Fax: (404) 327-5835. Email: [email protected]. https://wellroot.org/