MERIDEN - Juan Montano, 101, departed this life on July 25, 2013 with his family at his side at Cocomo Healthcare in Meriden. He was the loving husband of 66 years of Milagros (Gari) Montano. Juan was born in Santa Clara, Cuba on April 19, 1912, a son of the late Paulino and Juana (Benitez) Montano. In his earlier years, he lived in Pinar del Rio, Cuba. At age 20, Juan entered the Cuban Army and worked in the Palacio. He served under four Cuban presidents: Prio, Grau, Batista and Fidel Castro. In 1962 at the age 50, he immigrated from Cuba to the USA to begin a new life for his young family. He worked many years at Griffin Hospital in Derby, and retired from his own barbershop business in Seymour in 1991. Those who knew him will remember Juan as always smiling. He loved to play the lottery - especially scratch offs, take frequent vacations to Florida, and cheer on the New York Yankees. In addition to his wife, he will be missed by his son, Jesus Lazaro Montano and his wife Debra of Southington; his daughter Ana Abbagnaro and her husband Peter of Wallingford; his grandchildren: Mindy Bennett and her husband Christopher of Trumbull, Danielle Kearney and her husband Sean of Irving, TX; David Montano of Hartford; Amanda Gratton and her husband Patrick of Wallingford and Steven Abbagnaro & fiancée Gianna D'Ambrosca of Wallingford; great grandson Liam Bennett; a brother, Eduardo Montano of Passaic, NJ, sisters Adela Montano of Cuba and Primitiva Montano of Florida, and many nieces and nephews. He was also very fond of his "grand dogs": Italian greyhound, Abby and Jack Russell terrier, Buster. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by eleven siblings. A mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 9:00 AM at Our Lady of Fatima Church, 382 Hope Hill Rd., in the Yalesville section of Wallingford. Entombment at the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Meriden will be private. Friends and relatives may call upon the family on Friday, July 26th from 4:00 - 7:00 PM at the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, 273 South Elm St., Wallingford. It is suggested that contributions in Juan's memory be directed to the Franciscan Home Care and Hospice Care, 267 Finch Ave., Meriden, CT 06451. The family would like to thank his physician Dr. Joseph Babiarz, Cocomo Healthcare and Franciscan Hospice for their care and support during this time.