By:Laura Lane
For those who know Montesdeoca, it was a fitting honor, which is given annually during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Montesdeoca possesses an immigrant's desire to succeed -- a quality he believes is equaled only by his insatiable appetite for adventure. When a cousin living in Freeport urged him to come to the U.S., it seemed only natural to Montesdeoca, then 22, to leave Ecuador and seek his fortune.
In Ecuador, Montesdeoca was already a successful car mechanic, husband and father of one child. He was happy in his native land, but he couldn't resist the possibilities in America.
Speaking only limited English, Montesdeoca left Ecuador, promising his pregnant wife, Lola, that he'd send for her once he was able to financially. "It was a risk coming over," Montesdeoca said. "But I had this curiosity to explore and see America."
Initially, life was hard for him, in large part because he had a hard time communicating with people. "In Freeport at that time, there were only, like, three or four people that spoke Spanish," Montesdeoca recalled. "Even though I knew a few words in English, everyone spoke too fast."
He was hired as a car mechanic by his cousin's boss, and Montesdeoca managed to do well at this first job in America. He started at $65 a week, and his employer found him so valuable that he gave him a raise after just one week. More followed.
Two years later, Montesdeoca rented an apartment and sent for his wife and two children. He attended night school to improve his English skills. His family grew with the birth of three more children.
When Montesdeoca heard of an opportunity to buy his own service station, he decided to take a chance. "My boss was a good man, but he had a temper," he recalled. "I think you have to take care of people, be nice to them and polite. In the 36 years I've owned this station, I never had a problem with a customer."
When Montesdeoca bought the gas station, it was a Gulf station. Years later it became a Sunoco. He worked hard six days a week to ensure that his children achieved his dreams for their success. "I worked between 12 and 14 hours a day to put my kids through college," he said. "They didn't get any scholarships or loans."
Montesdeoca is proud of all of his children. Two are teachers, and his oldest son is a mortgage broker. His oldest daughter is a psychologist, and his youngest son is in law school. He and his wife have eight grandchildren.
Montesdeoca not only had dreams for his children, but also aspirations for himself. Even though he continued to live in Freeport, he wanted to become part of the Merrick community. "My dream was also to get to know a lot of people in the community, and I'm so proud that my dream came true," he said. "I know more people in Merrick than I do in Freeport. These are good people."
Montesdeoca is always there for his customers. He has donated to the Boy Scouts, Little League, the Bellmore-Merrick Scholarship Drive and many other organizations important to Merrick. "I tell my customers, 'Whenever you need anything, come on down,'" he said. "I think you have to support the community."
The community knows Montesdeoca. "When I go to the deli and buy coffee for the boys, it makes me feel like my dream has come true when I see people and they all say hello to me," he said. "And I always remember their names. People like for you to know their names."
At 66, Montesdeoca is looking forward to the future. He plans to sell his business, retire and travel. But he also wants to continue to help others. "Once I retire, I want to help young people who come to this country like I did," he said. "You have to share your time and what you've learned."
