Miguel Amarante do Canto e Castro, 91, of Los Banos, CA, passed away on June 3, 2023, with a bout with lung cancer.
Miguel was born on November 14, 1931, to Francisco do Canto e Castro and Josefina Amarante de Freitas do Canto e Castro in Sao Roque do Pico in Azores Portugal. He immigrated to the United States in 1947 and graduated from San Jose High in San Jose, CA in 1949. From 1951 to 1955, he joined the US Air Force and in 1954 became a US citizen while serving. He served a total of 8 years in the Air Force with 4 years active duty.
and 4 years reserve. He served during the Korean War. Miguel's first job, after the military, was with Bank of America in Los Banos, CA in 1955. He was also employed by State Savings as an account executive. He then sold cars for a number of years at Kaljian's Motor Co. which later became Balatti Kaljian Motor Co. catering to the Portuguese community. In 1961, Miguel started his own Portuguese radio program, "Saudades da Nossa Terra" (Longing for our Homeland), with KLBS in Los Banos, and later on with KIGS of Hanford, to serve the Portuguese community. In 2021, his program celebrated 60 years of radio service. He still continued his program with the Portuguese internet radio site at Radioportugalusa.com from February 2014 to April of 2023. In 1977, he earned his teaching credentials from the California Community College in Los Banos and began to teach Portuguese at the community college. In 1989, he began teaching Advanced ESL (English AS A Second Language) up until he retired in 2018. He was a teacher for a total of 41 years. He loved teaching and loved his students.
On October 5, 1972, Miguel married Judite Ribeiro. They had two children, Michelle, born in 1973 and Luis, born in 1975. Miguel also adopted, into the Castro family, Judite's daughter, Maria Joao who was bornin 1969. Judite later passed away on September 30, 2003.
In his younger days, Miguel loved to go duck hunting with friends. He also loved to travel with his family back to his native island of Pico in the Azores as well as Faial, which was the island where his wife Judite was from. After retiring, Miguel enjoyed fishing in nearby water ways in Los Banos. He also enjoyed writing columns in the local newspaper as well as different Portuguese newspapers from other areas. Miguel's father was an
artist by his own right and loved to draw and so Miguel took up drawing and painting as well and was quite good at it.
Miguel is survived by his son, Luis Miguel Castro and his spouse, Angelina Castro; daughters: Maria Castro, Michelle Thornhill and her spouse, Steve Thornhill; grandchildren: Aiden Luis Castro, Lucas Michael Castro and Levi Ramon Castro; Siblings: Maria Fatima Castro-Smythe and Josie Le Blanc; and a host of family, friends and loved ones. He is preceded in death by his wife: Judite Ribeiro Castro; his children: Zeline Castro and Michael Castro; his parents: Francisco & Josefina Canto e Castro, and Siblings: Raymond Canto e Castro, Vicki Langinger. Miguel was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who will be dearly missed. He touched many people's lives in so many positive ways. He was an asset and a great advocate to the Portuguese community of Los Banos as well as all of California. May God bless his soul.

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