Colorado community pays emotional tribute to legendary business and Hispanic leader

MARIACHI TRIBUTE TO RON MONTOYA | At the Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery chapel in Wheat Ridge (Photos/Shannon García)

CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR RON MONTOYA (JUNE 21, 1940 – AUGUST 2, 2026)

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado / Pictures: Shannon García

The Colorado community bade a sorrowful farewell to Ronald “Ron” E. Montoya, one of the most influential and respected business and Hispanic figures in state history, who passed away at age 86. His funeral services took place last Saturday, August 15, at the Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery chapel in Wheat Ridge.

The ceremony began with a rosary and a funeral mass with a live stream for hundreds of loved ones who could not attend due to space limitations. The gathering brought together family members, civic leaders, and national figures who remembered his human warmth and his lifelong motto of always being good to the community.

Military honors and family legacy in the final farewell

RON MONTOYA (R.I.P.) WAS A VETERAN| Army Honor Guard officers Performed traditional folding of the American Flag. (Photo/Shannon García)

During the moving ceremonial service, U.S. Army honor officers performed the traditional folding of the American flag that draped the casket. Montoya received this tribute because, as was remembered many times, he served with pride in the United States Armed Forces.

Once the military rite concluded, the flag that draped Montoya was formally presented to his son, Ronald Montoya, by his nephew Elías García. Elías is an active-duty Army member assigned to a military base in Kansas. This act symbolized a deep bond of patriotic service within the family.

MOVING MOMENT | Ronald Montoya received the flag that wrapped the casket of his father, Ron Montoya. The flag was presented to Ronald by his nephew Elías García, an Army member stationed at a military base in Kansas. Ron Montoya, like Elías, his eldest grandson, served in the U.S. Army. (Photos/Shannon García)

Pioneer of Hispanic business and development

Montoya left an indelible mark on the state’s business ecosystem by co-founding the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Solera National Bank in 2007, an institution created to facilitate access to credit for Latino families. In addition to founding PlastiComm Industries, he was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.

Montoya also distinguished himself in public service during the 1980s as director of the Minority Business Office under Governor Roy Romer. His legacy extended beyond the corporate realm through a firm civic and religious commitment as a faithful and devoted member of St. Cajetan Catholic Church.

The businessman and community leader was a cornerstone in the creation and development of the Mexican Cultural Center to promote the culture of his family’s homeland. Former Denver Mayor Federico Peña highlighted Montoya’s work as a generous mentor who opened definitive pathways for future generations of entrepreneurs and Hispanics across the region.