Miguel Montero Bonilla was a man born in Costa Rica on April 19th, 1923. It is important to use his second last name, which is his mother´s maiden name because he did not grow up with his father but rather had only his mother to guide him through his youth.
They were very poor. He had 5 older brothers and sisters. He soon became the man of the house and started working at an early age at the National Post Office. He worked his way up from stand by delivery man to Head of Delivery. He escaped his poverty by reading and in his spare time he taught himself some English by reading American magazines and translating the words with a dictionary.

At a young age he was offered the opportunity to travel and study in the United States by a member of the Mormon Church but he decided against that and stayed with his mother, whom he adored.

He met his wife, Flor Bejarano, in 1945 at a technical university where they were both taking courses. They were both extremely poor but as was the custom then, they soon decided to marry, which they did on April 4th, 1946.

Once he was married and his 1st three sons were born he decided that studying would be his way out of poverty. Sadly, he lost his mother to the Lord in 1947, when his first-born was just a baby. This was a devastating blow in his life but he had his wife to comfort him.
He enrolled in Economics at the University of Costa Rica and graduated in 1960. In the interim he held various positions, mainly as accountant in different companies. Once he arrived in the United States in 1962 with his wife and five children he quickly obtained a position at the Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital in Manhattan. He had one more son in the US in 1963 and continued to work and care for his family.

He worked as Head of Accounting and auditor in various prestigious corporations such as Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital, Lennox Hill Hospital, ITT, Microdot, Technoserve, Phillip Morris and others.

His work took him as far as Europe, Africa and Brazil and he often traveled to his beloved Costa Rica where, once retired, he spent 10 years living at the beginning of the 21st century. He returned to the USA in 2008. He lived in South Florida for a decade and then moved up to Palm Coast to be close to his beloved daughter Lilliana.

He lost his wife when she was 100 years old, on December 23rd, 2024. This proved to be a devastating blow to his fragile 102-year-old body. They had been together for 78 years as husband and wife. He could not bear living without her. The Lord called for him to go Home on July 9th, 2025.

He was deeply committed to the Lord and received the Holy sacraments a few minutes before he passed away, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. Those of us who knew him, loved him deeply and our lives are much emptier with his departure.

He was also committed to education and the advancement of young people. He was a natural storyteller and towards the end of his life wrote over 20 short stories reminiscent of his youth in Costa Rica.

We, his family and friends are so sad to see him go but we are also joyful that he is now eternally happy with God, his wife, his son, his mother and all the loved ones in his life.

¿ADÓNDE VAS MUCHACHO?

¿Adónde vas muchacho?

Pues no lo sé

Más que pesebre y menos que cuna

He nacido con mucha madre

Y muy poquita fe

1923-1933

¿Adónde vas muchacho?

Todavía no lo sé

Lento abro mis ojos y mi mente

A una vida de esclavos

Pero mi niñez, esa sí la gocé

1933- 1943

¿Adónde vas muchacho?

Estoy muy perdido y triste

Mi madre sufrió y me abandonó

Se fue demasiado joven

Y sin querer, en esta vida, solo me dejó

1943-1953

¿Adónde vas hombre?

He visto un medio camino

Una perfecta Flor me encontré y

Me ha dado algunos capullos

que con cariño crie y amé

1953-1963

¿Adónde estás caballero?

Luchando, luchando Señor

En tierras frías y lejanas

Camino sobre césped blanco

Y sigo mi vida sin entender

1963-1973

¿Y ahora qué haces amigo?

Trabajo, viajo y sufro

Leo, pienso y m´educo

A pesar de los pesares

Mi vida aventura aún es

1973-1983

¿Adónde vas Miguel?

Fui y vine y vengo y voy

Sin rumbo claro aún estoy

Mi juventud empieza a envejecer

Mi vejez tímida se asoma

1983-1993

¿Adónde vas Querido Viejo?

Me dedico a recordar

Mi vida es mi memoria

Escribo letras de recuerdo

Y les cuento lo que pasó

1993-2003

¿Y quién eres pregunto?

Un hombre pobre y orgulloso

Lleno de dolores y alegrías

Aventuras y tristezas

Ilusiones pasajeras

1993-2003

¿Y ahora qué haces amigo?

Camino, camino lento

Saboreo mi dolor

Te busco con toda mi alma

Por fin te busco Señor

2003- 2013

¿Cuando vienes hijo mío?

Cuando Tú me llames Señor

Te pido todos los días

Me perdones mi inocente culpa

Y al Cielo me recibas en Tu Amor

2013-2025

¿Ya vienes Hijo Mío?

Solo, solo quedé de nuevo

Se me fue mi gran amor

Llévame ya Señor pero

A la Vida mejor

Descansa en Mi Paz Hijo

Y en tu entierro, ¿Quieres

flores muchas derredor?

No Señor ni una sola

Ni lagrimas, ni dolor

Solo una cosa te pido

al llegar a tu mansión

A cambio de mi vida

Que me devuelvas a mi Flor

JMB

Hijos Huérfanos de Miguel y Flor Montero Bejarano