Brandon Edward Montano passed away on April 4, 2023, in Bakersfield, California. He was 41 years old.

Born on January 4, 1982, in Tacoma, Washington to Debbie Franco and Gil Montano, Brandon was the youngest of three boys. With Jonathan the eldest and Estevan, just two years older than Brandon, the boys grew up in a typical military life, moving from place to place until finally landing in Monterey Bay, California.

Brandon graduated from Evans High School in 2000, before moving to Seaside, California later that year, to live with his father, Gil and brother Jonathan. He later married and had three children, Noah, Ashley and Makayla.

Brandon had a passion for cheesy sci-fi movies, pizza on Fridays and was a dedicated fan-boy of the Star Wars franchise. Living on the California coast, Brandon bounced from job to job before finally landing his dream career as a tattoo artist for Creative Visions in Monterey.

Brandon was very easy-going and just loved to live his life. He never met a stranger and was very caring and giving. He made sure to live in the moment and not take life too seriously. He pursued his passion of art and quickly became one of the Top Tattoo Artists in Monterey Bay.

Brandon’s true love was simply… enjoying life. Brandon had a sense of humor that never seemed to quit and even though he lived through his share of tragedies, Brandon seized every opportunity to find the humor in even the most dismal of circumstances. That’s who he always tried to be, Mr. Positivity. To Brandon, if life was going to have its bad times anyway, you might as well crack a joke, play a game or sit and enjoy a pizza on Friday and watch “B-movies” until you fell asleep on the couch. Life was simply enjoyable for him and after his children arrived in his life, it just got better.

When it comes to his kids, Brandon treasured every moment in his role as Dad and showered his children with love and affection. You would be hard-pressed to find a more doting father than Brandon. He went from a guy that simply enjoyed every moment life gave him, to enjoying every moment he could spend with his kids. They were his whole world, and he was not afraid to show it.

Brandon’s true talent for artistry blossomed when he became a tattoo artist in Monterey. His passion and talents earned him an amazing reputation within the tattoo community, and many have tried to pull him to other shops to work for them, even as far as Las Vegas, the crown jewel of the tattoo industry. Brandon has tattooed so many people including family, that his love, his talent and most of all, his spirit will continue to live on in his artwork.

Brandon is survived by his Mother Debbie Franco. His Father Gil Montano. His brothers Jonathan (Tiffany) Montano and Estevan Montano. His nephew Nico and his children Noah, Ashley and Mikayla.

A Celebration of Life will be held in honor of Brandon Montano on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 1:30pm at Grace Baptist Church in Evans, Georgia, for family and friends there. A separate service to lay Brandon to rest will be held in Monterey, California at a later time.

A very special thank you to Pastor Greg and Grace Baptist Church and Flowers on Broad for supporting our family during this very difficult time. Also, a special recognition to Tiffany Montano whose commitment and dedication to the needs of the family have been essential.

We could not have come this far without all of your help.