Juan "Guango" Guadalupe Calderón

Known affectionately to his family and friends as “Guango”, he was devoted to God, his deceased wife Ana Maria, and his two sons, Juan Jr. and David. He was also beloved in his hometown of Country Club, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, where for over 40 years, he mentored hundreds of children who participated in Little League Baseball of Country Club.

Juan was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, on March 27, 1926, the seventh of twelve children born to Eloy Guadalupe Montanez and Julia Calderón Valcalcer. Juan and his childhood sweetheart, Annie, emigrated to New York City in 1950, where they married and where Juan and David were born. After working as a metal manufacturing foreman in the Bronx, Juan became disabled and the family moved back to Puerto Rico in 1969 to help care for Annie’s parents and start a new life.

They bought a house in Country Club, Rio Piedras and established deep roots in the community. Juan dedicated the next four decades of his life to his family, Santa Bernardita Church and Little League Baseball, serving in various positions. This included Player Agent, second only to the league Presidents, where he was responsible for player recruitment, registration, tryouts and selection to teams. However, he was frequently seen preparing the field for play, seeking sponsorships, fixing equipment and working with parents to fill critical volunteer positions. Thanks to Juan, many of these children went on to play in Little League Latin American and World Series tournaments, professional baseball or become a recording artist, but all were influenced by his integrity, selflessness and excellence in everything he did. Juan is survived by his sons Juan and David, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Juan and Annie’s lives will be memorialized during a Celebration of Life service on Friday, April 19, 2024 at the Life Event Center at Florida Memorial, 5950 S US Highway 1, Rockledge Florida, with a visitation gathering being held from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM and a memorial service beginning at 2:00 PM. Juan and Annie will be laid to rest at Florida Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Juan’s charities: Radio Paz Miami (https://paxcc.org/donacion-online/) and St. Mary Catholic Church, Rockledge (https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z98A/home).