Gabino “Gabby” Montana (1930-2025), born in Bowie, Arizona in 1930, graduated from Bowie High School in 1948 and joined the U.S. Army. He used the GI Bill in 1954 to attend Arizona State Teacher’s College, now called Arizona State University, and became a life-time member of “Los Conquistadores”, the first Mexican American student organization founded in 1937. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in 1958 and began his 35-year engineering career with Garrett AiResearch and retired in 1992. By 2020, Gabby was President and the last surviving member of “Los Conquistadores”. He donated the “Los Conquistadores” bank balance of $482.38 to the Scholarship Fund of ASU’s Chicano Latino Faculty and Staff Association, founded in1970. After its 83 years of history, “Los Conquistadores” came to its closure as an ASU student/alumni organization. We honor Gabby for sharing with us Tempe’s Latino heritage and historical connection to ASU.
2025 Historic Legend – Gabino “Gabby” Montana
