Charles Montemayor passed away on Dec. 24, 2008, after a long battle with cancer. He was born on March 22, 1928, in Janesville, WI, the youngest child of Gustavo O. and Elvira Montemayor. After graduation from high school in 1946, he served in the army in Korea. Upon returning home, he entered the University of WI and received a degree with a major in geography. His first employment was as assistant city planner in Green Bay and, later, he was promoted to City planner. He left Green Bay to accept a position as an associate planner with the Tulsa Oklahoma Metropolitan Planning Commission. He worked in that capacity for one year and, then, returned to Wisconsin to serve as County Planning Director with the Manitowoc County Park and Planning Commission. In 1963 he was appointed as Dane County's first planning director and, later, as executive director of the Dane County Regional Planning Commission. The roll of the commission grew to include land use, transportation and environmental planning. The commission prepared Dane County's first land use plan, water resources plan and all mode transportation plans. The commission received national recognition for its pioneering work in citizen participation. One of Charlie's particular areas of interest was control of urban sprawl. He was proud of the commission's effort at farmland and green space preservation, including the commission's work in getting the state to adopt a Wisconsin constitution change to allow for a differential property tax assessment of agricultural land. After retiring from the R.P.C., Charlie and his wife, Carole, moved to Guanajuato, Mexico, in the central highlands. They built a house, made many new friends and enjoyed twelve years in this beautiful colonial city. It was in their new home that Charlie compiled a collection of their newsletters into "Retire-ment Tales--Two Gringos Living in Mexico", a book that provides practical information about living in Guanajuato and a friendly, often humorous, insight on Mexico.
Charlie is survived by his wife, Carole; daughter, Jennifer J of Baraboo, WI; son, Nathan A. (Tara); granddaughter, Ava Estelle; and grandson, Cole Peter, all of Madison; sister-in-law, Cheryl (Daryl) Molitor of Plano, TX; four nephews and four nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, his three brothers, two sisters and a niece.
A simple remembrance service will be held at HOSPICE CARE CENTER, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway Madison on Monday Dec. 29, 2008. There will be time to visit with the family from 2 until 3 p. m. after which there will be a short remembrance service. The family requests that in lieu of other expressions of sympathy, you make a contribution to Hospice Care Center or your charity of choice.