Eugene Pete Montalbo

Eugene Pete Montalbo went home to be with the Lord on March 7th, 2023. Eugene ("Gene") was born on January 8th, 1953, in San Antonio, Texas, to Eugene Posada Montalbo and Maria de Jesus (Soliz) Montalbo and was baptized on May 12, 1953, at St. Patrick's Church in San Antonio. Gene attended St. Gerard Elementary where he made life-long friends in 1stgrade, and then attended St. Gerard Regional High School. During his elementary school years, his mom had him take guitar lessons at Alamo Music in downtown San Antonio; and he went on to play guitar for the school's daily Catholic mass services. During his high school years, he and several friends formed a band called the Latin Tones, in which Gene played the electric bass guitar. The band played a variety of music including the Doobie Brothers (Gene's favorite band) for functions ranging from weddings to officer club events at Fort Sam Houston. Gene also enjoyed playing football during high school and later loved watching it. Following high school, Gene enlisted in the Army. He attended basic training at Fort Polk in Louisiana and later trained as a helicopter pilot at Fort Rucker in Alabama. Gene was assigned to the 335thAssault Helicopter Company and was sent to Vietnam near the end of the war - serving as a helicopter pilot in a Bell AH-1 HueyCobra. His mission was that of accompanying larger transport helicopters to remote sites to assist in retrieving equipment and troops. During one of these trips, his helicopter was shot down; and his co-pilot and friend, "Charlie," was killed. Injured himself, Gene pulled Charlie from the wreckage and, under gunfire, got both himself and Charlie to the larger helicopter which was able to escape the attack. As a result of that crash, Gene suffered extreme back pain the rest of his life. He was awarded a Purple Heart but refused to accept the medal because he felt his fallen friend/co-pilot Charlie was the hero. After Vietnam, Gene honorably discharged from the Army (last stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas) and went to work for the Missouri Pacific Railroad in Louisiana. Gene loved trains and loved working in the railroad industry. He later moved to Texas to work as a rail safety investigator for the Texas Railroad Commission. Gene was one of the first to hold this role which was brand new for the state of Texas at the time. The team was later moved to serve under the Texas Department of Transportation. Gene married the love of his life, Patricia ("Pat") Ann (Turner) Montalbo on May 3, 1995, and they settled in Plano, Texas. Upon marrying Pat, he became a stepfather to Pat's grown daughter, Joanna Smith. Gene and Pat enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and neighbors. In addition to Pat ("Sweet" as he called her), his passions included riding his Harley Davidson Softail Classic with a dear friend, barbecuing, eating at local restaurants (favorites being anything Mexican and The Fish Shack in Plano), talking and debating with family and friends, buying authentic tamales (like his mom made) for family and friends, and cats (both he and Pat adored their cats Patches and Max, aka Scooty Boots, they adopted when their elderly owners could no longer care for them). After over 20 years with the Texas Railroad Commission/Texas Department of Transportation, Gene retired, in part, to care for Pat who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He was always mindful of wanting to fulfill God's mission for his life - whether it be through Army service or helping Pat. Gene is preceded in death by his parents, his older sister (Esther), and Pat. He is survived by stepdaughter Joanna Smith and her husband Brooks of Dallas, and by many dear friends. Funeral Service will be held with military honors at 1:15 p.m. (vehicles must be lined up in lane 2 at 1 p.m.) at the Dallas - Fort Worth National Cemetery on March 30th. Donations may be made to one of Gene's favorite causes, Operation Kindness (www.operationkindness.org).