Johnny grew up on a ranch in Corona, New Mexico with his widowed mother, Atilana (Tillie) Montoya, sister, cousins, uncles, and aunts until age 14. He moved to El Paso, Texas when his mother remarried to Charles Lemmon, a railroad man traveling through their small town. He lived in the upper valley of El Paso on Emory Road and graduated from El Paso High School in 1949. He was a member of the boxing team earning a Golden Gloves award and was a reservist of the Naval Reserves. Upon graduation, Johnny remained an active participant in his high school reunions, including being a member of the El Paso 49’ers Club.
Johnny met the love of his life, Maria “Minnie” Maldonado, while walking at Memorial Park one afternoon in 1950. They married on October 28, 1951. Soon after Johnny and Minnie married, Johnny was called to duty to serve in the Korean Conflict where he served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Together they had three children, Isela “Shelley” Montoya, Hector Montoya, and Juan “Fred” Montoya.
Johnny began his career in insurance industry at the age of twenty-five, working for giants National Life and Accident Insurance Company, American General Corporation, Metropolitan Life Insurance (MetLife), and Woodmen of the World. He retired from both American General Corporation and MetLife and then started his own insurance agency, El Paso Star. He was fluent in Spanish and English.
After retirement, Johnny and Minnie were members of the Eastside Senior Citizens Center, where they socialized, exercised, played pool, and attended monthly dances and events. They enjoyed gardening, traveling, being with family and friends and attending their grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s parties and events.
Johnny was preceded in death by his parents Seferino Montoya and Tillie Montoya, his sister, Erminda “Minda” Shelton, his daughter, Shelley Montoya, and his son, Fred Montoya. He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Maria “Minnie” Montoya, his son, Hector Montoya (Teresa), and his stepsister Charlene “Charla” Chaney, five grandchildren Jon Harrison (Patricia), Ryan Montoya (Kim), Aaron Montoya, William Hicks and Kevin Hicks; and three great grandchildren, Seferino Harrison, Nicodemus “Nico” Harrison, and Maren Montoya.
Johnny will be remembered by family and friends for his kindness, loving and gentle nature, storytelling, faith, and unconditional love for his family.
A memorial service celebrating Johnny’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to your favorite charity or to the city of El Paso’s “Remembrance Tree Program” (https://www.elpasotexas.gov/parks/parks-planning/remembrance-tree-program/) in his memory.
