by Marvin Ramírez
The Latino community of the San Francisco Bay Area mourns the death of Edgar Agustín Montenegro, a musician, San Francisco State University graduate and former Muni bus driver remembered for his intelligence, musical talent and perseverance through a life marked by hardship. Montenegro died March 5, leaving a deep void among family members, friends and those who knew him from his early years in San Francisco.
Montenegro was born in Granada, Nicaragua, on November 18, 1956, the son of Edgar Agustín Montenegro and Delia Bustamante Montenegro. After his mother’s death, his father later married María Montenegro, who became his stepmother and is among the relatives who survive him today.
From an early age he showed an interest in music and the media. As a teenager he attended Mission High School in San Francisco, where, according to family members, he began developing his enthusiasm for music and his dream of someday working in radio or television.
That interest led him to pursue higher education at San Francisco State University, where he earned a master’s degree in radio and television. Friends and classmates remember him as an intelligent and enthusiastic student who hoped to build a career in broadcasting.
However, life took a different direction.
According to stories Montenegro shared with friends, he lost a key opportunity early in his career when he sought to enter what was then Channel 14, later known as Univision. In order to obtain an internship he needed a letter of recommendation that would allow him to gain professional experience.
Montenegro said he had asked well-known radio producer and administrator Marcos Gutiérrez for such a letter, but the recommendation never materialized.
“I asked him for a recommendation letter and he wouldn’t give it to me,” Montenegro would recall sadly, according to people close to him. He often described that moment as a turning point that closed an important door in his professional life.
Soon afterward, a divorce placed him under severe financial pressure. Friends remember that during those years he worked in whatever jobs he could find in order to survive and meet his responsibilities.
Even while pursuing his graduate studies at San Francisco State University, classmates recall seeing him late at night on campus collecting cardboard for recycling to earn extra money.
Despite those hardships, those who knew him say he never lost his humility or his willingness to work hard.
“Edgar was an extremely intelligent person with a noble heart,” recalled his longtime friend Marvin Ramírez, editor of El Reportero and author of this report. “He went through very hard moments, but he was never ashamed of working hard to survive.”
A lifelong passion for music
Alongside his interest in broadcasting, Montenegro developed a deep love for music. He played several instruments, including guitar, bass and piano.
For several years he was part of the group Scorpio and also worked as a resident musician at the now-defunct Transfer Club, once owned by businessman Walter Castillo.
The club hosted the group Actualidad, which later became Franco Brothers, featuring musicians Calito and Bismark Franco. Montenegro played guitar and bass with the band, earning the respect of fellow musicians for his versatility and musical ability.
Friends say he had a natural ear for music and could easily adapt to different instruments and styles.
Years at Muni
Later in life Montenegro found greater stability working for 14 years as a bus driver for Muni, San Francisco’s public transportation system.
That job allowed him to improve his financial situation and eventually keep the family home after his mother’s death, something that represented an important personal achievement after years of struggle.
But his life changed again after he lost his Muni job. According to friends and family members, the situation had a profound impact on his mental health.
After the accident he suffered neurological problems and long periods of depression. Over the years he underwent extensive medical treatments and medications that significantly altered his life and emotional state.
His final months
In recent months, friends noticed that his emotional condition had become increasingly difficult.
Days before his death Montenegro sent a brief message to this reporter reflecting the pain he was experiencing. In the message he wrote simply: “My son Felix died.”
He did not provide further details, and when asked about it he did not respond.
Weeks earlier, on January 19, he had also written seeking help.
“Marvin, thank you for helping me last time,” he wrote. “The problems got worse. Please help me again because I even ended up in the hospital. I felt like I almost died.”
Friends say those difficulties deepened the depression he had struggled with for years.
On March 4, people living in the house became concerned when Montenegro did not respond to calls or knocks on his bedroom door. Fearing something was wrong, they entered the bedroom through a bathroom window.
Inside the room they found Edgar lying down with headphones on in front of his computer.
Remembered by his family
Montenegro is survived by his partner, Elsy Hernández, the mother of his three youngest children, Delia, Ernesto and Veronica; his stepmother, María Montenegro; his children Carole, Tony, Edgar, Carlos, Felix (rip), Delia, Ernesto, Veronica; five grandchildren; and his siblings Jimmy Bustamante, Sandra Montenegro, Katy Montenegro, Tracy Montenegro and Gina Montenegro. His brother Marvin Montenegro preceded him in death.
His daughter Delia Montenegro remembered her father with a message filled with love:
“Our dad will forever live in our hearts and the knowledge that he instilled in us will be enough to last a lifetime.”
For those who knew him since his youth in San Francisco, Montenegro’s death represents the loss of a man who, despite the adversities he faced throughout his life, always maintained his love for music, his humility, his affection for others and a deep love for his family. His children, born from three different relationships over the course of his life, were at the center of that family.
Invitation to the community
Family members and friends invite the community to say goodbye to Edgar Montenegro.
The viewing will take place on March 21 and tentatively from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Duggan’s Funeral Home in Daly City. The family is planning a reception around that time.
Those who knew him are invited to accompany the family, share memories and offer condolences.
Friends say Edgar Montenegro will be remembered for his sensitivity, his musical talent and his perseverance in the face of a life filled with challenges.
