Francisco Montejano, Jr.

To Francisco Montejano, Jr., the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Francisco, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Francisco really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

His parents were Maria and Francisco Montejano. Francisco was raised in Cudahy, California. Even as a child, Francisco had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Francisco was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Francisco managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Francisco was raised with six siblings. He had an older brother James, three older sisters Maria, Alma and Gloria, one younger brother Moises and one younger sister Natalie.

All of Francisco's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Francisco experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in cross country running and football. In his spare time he liked comic books, riding his bike and sleeping. Francisco's memorable achievements was becoming a father.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Francisco was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Francisco simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Francisco, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Francisco's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Francisco graduated from Bell Gardens High School in 1988. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. His favorite class in high school was wood shop.

Francisco never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Francisco to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Francisco delighted in his role among all his acquaintances, because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Francisco was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Francisco utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Ulisses Frayre. Later in life, he became friends with Hector Rodriguez. Francisco loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Francisco very easy to approach. On April 6, 1996 Francisco exchanged wedding vows with Leyda Rivera-Fernandez at Las Vegas Chapel of Las Vegas. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Francisco related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Francisco was blessed with two children, one son Andrew and one daughter Michelle Amaris. Francisco had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Francisco's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Francisco had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Francisco was a real “people person. ” he had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Francisco liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Francisco was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Francisco's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Francisco as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was as an carpenter. He was employed for 20 years.

Francisco enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Francisco liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were video games and tools were his most loved enjoyment. Francisco was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Francisco felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Francisco loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Francisco relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Francisco never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Francisco played football. Francisco was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Francisco recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was affiliated with Jehovah's Witness for 38 years.

Living life in the fast lane suited Francisco just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Puerto Rico, Chicago, Illinois, the Grand Canyon, Palm Springs and Las Vegas.

Francisco was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Francisco's favorites was Max, a pit bull. They were best friends for 10 years.

He is survived by his parents Francisco and Maria;siblings Maria, Alma, Gloria, Moises, Natalie and James; his wife Leyda; children Andrew and Michelle; nieces and nephews Marisal, Isabella, Alexandress and Jess; step children Ricky and Derrick.

Francisco brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Francisco Montejano, Jr. lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.