Eugene Andrew Montano

Eugene Andrew Montano
Born October 31, 1955 in Pueblo, Colorado
Died September 24, 2025 near Durango, Colorado

Our father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend passed away in a motorcycle accident. His last day was spent enjoying a glorious autumn day exploring our beloved mountains, deep in wilderness on Bolam Pass on his dirt bike. Our sudden loss is deep and profound.

Gene was a true Colorado native. Born in Pueblo and spending his early childhood in Denver, his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where he graduated Valley High School in 1973. He served his country in the Army’s 4th Calvary Division. He was very proud to have been a “buffalo soldier”, as a helicopter mechanic and crew chief.

Gene had an amazing mechanical mind. To the astonishment of his family, he fully disassembled and reassembled his first motorcycle at the age of 14, without instruction. This skill was translated into a very successful career. After the Army he attended Northrup University and became a Federal Aviation Administration Certified Airframe and Powerplant (FAA A&P) mechanic. In this capacity, he worked with GE Aircraft Engines, Boeing, MD Helicopters, and others. His mind and hands kept many people safe in the air, from jet engines powering 747’s to hospital helicopters.

Gene was always up for adventure. He served in the Army at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska. Living briefly in Rollins, Wyoming, he then moved to Los Angeles, California for his education and early career. It was there that he met and married Holly Duckworth. Having a son, Jonathan in 1991, and a daughter, Isabel in 1994. Gene and Holly enjoyed 36 years together, 34 in marriage. They both loved adventure and lived many places. After Jonathan was born in Los Angeles, they moved to Morristown, Tennessee, where Isabel was born. And then Greenville, North Carolina, and Phoenix, Arizona.

He was an extremely devoted father. When his children were babies he became a stay-at-home dad for several years, long before it was considered common. Camping, traveling, playing, and just being with his children was his absolute joy. After his son and daughter were grown and on their own, Gene and Holly started their next adventure in Durango, Colorado.

Moving to Durango in 2013, Gene and Holly found a dilapidated log cabin that they lovingly brought back to life. Durango had always been a vacation zone. The kids had learned to ski and snowboard at Purgatory. Gene and Holly had backpacked the Weminuche. And now they had found their little slice of paradise in the north valley.

He was always a racket sport player (tennis and racquetball) and so was naturally enthused by pickleball. That became one of his new passionate pastimes, along with motorcycle touring and motorcycle dirt bike riding. He died doing what he loved the best.

He is survived by his wife, Holly Duckworth, son, Jonathan Montano (Spokane, WA), daughter, Isabel Montano and 2-year-old granddaughter Pearl Passman (Durango), and sister Roseanne Nogaim (Rapid City, SD). He was preceded in death by his father Andrew Montano (Littleton, CO), mother Elizabeth Rodriguez and brother Andrew Montano (Las Vegas, NV).

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the San Juan Mountain Association at https://sjma.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate.