Contributions to the tribute of Kent Otero

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Karina Brown uploaded photo(s)

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

In January 2014 I came to the US as an international student to study at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. The people sponsoring me were Raisa Otero-Cesario and Michael Cesario. Little that I know that my sponsors would become like parents to me, which meant that I was part of the family and treated like one. I met Kenny because he was Raisa’s big brother and as I soon found out, I became his “niece” and I had an Uncle. Kenny was always fun, very kind, and made friends easily. He would kid anyone within hearing distance and would love to kid me about my accent and my appetite. When he met my boyfriend (now husband) Chris, he told him that if we ever married, he would need to have 2 full-time jobs to feed me. LOL. The family joke was “is Karina eating AGAIN?.” It never seemed to get old. I got to spend a lot of time with Kenny. He would come to Maryland to spend time with us. But mostly, we all spent time together in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It seems that every year from May through November we got together at the beach. I don’t think that Kenny ever went in the water, but we did go out to eat A LOT. Sometimes we just hung out watching wrestling and all the action movies that Kenny loved to watch. We even saw “Sharknado” just for kicks. Kenny often “rested his eyes” during these movie fests or so He said. We just had a good time together. A couple of years ago, we wanted to go to the boardwalk to listen to music and watch the fireworks. Kenny and Michael stayed back to watch the fireworks from our deck. The problem was that they were facing the wrong direction and missed the whole display. They then started blaming each other about whose idea it was to face the wrong direction. It was a regular comedy routine, but that’s how it was when Kenny was around. It was so funny listening to them. I remember when Milo came into Kenny’s life. There were pictures and stories about Milo. He brought such happiness to Kenny. Milo was his son and of course, became my “cousin.” You couldn’t put anything in the trunk of Kenny’s car, because it was full of Milo’s stuff, including Milo’s bed. Kenny had so many photos of Milo on his phone and loved showing them to me. Kenny was like a dad showing pictures of his kid. That “Little Man” certainly brought a lot of joy to Kenny. Kenny brightened my life. He brought happiness to everyone he encountered. He made friends so easily and talked to everyone (even more than his “Sistah”, who can also talk). I will miss Kenny so much but I know that he’s at peace and dancing with the angels. I’m not sure if angels can salsa dance, but I’m sure that Kenny can teach them how to do it. You will always be in my heart forever and ever, Kenny. I love you para siempre. Que viva la raza!

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Karina Brown uploaded photo(s)

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Dear Kenny, I was upset the day I heard you passed. I had known Kenny for 8 years. A couple of times a year I would see Kenny in Rehoboth with my now-wife Karina, Kenny’s brother-in-law Mikey, and of course his sister Raisa. I had so many amazing and wonderful memories I shared with Kenny from watching action movies to going to our favorite restaurant “Jimmy’s Kitchen”. Kenny’s energy was so contagious, it came so naturally to him to make anyone smile or laugh. He liked to tease me and most of the time called me “Blanquito”. Through those years I learned a valuable lesson from Kenny. That sometimes it is okay to not take yourself so seriously, and teasing and joking among friends is a way of expressing respect and affection. I am so grateful Kenny taught me this and helped me lighten up and become a better person. Kenny was a kind, hilarious, caring, and genuine person and I am so grateful for all the memories we shared together. Kenny, I know you are happy and in a better place. Thank you for being my family and I look forward to seeing you again. Chris

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P.F. Gonzalez uploaded photo(s)

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Uncle Kenny, you will be forever missed and loved. As you read, I used the word Uncle Kenny. Technically, Kenny was not my uncle. Kenny and my father Pedro became great friend early in their lives. They remained that way till the end of their lives. Kenny became such a part of the Gonzalez family that my grandmother Maria, would refer to him as her seventh son. Kenny in return treated us as his sister-in-law, brother, niece, nephew, and uncle. He was always a phone call away to our family if any help was needed. After my uncle retired from con Edison after 30 years of service. He started to enjoy retired life. He would travel to Delaware to visit his sister Raisa and his brother in-law Mike. He also spent the last decade plus with Nellie. We all know Kenny had a love for the movies. If there was a movie you wanted to watch he had a copy of it and knew all the little facts about the movie. My sister Nena and my brother Tomás stopped counting his DVD collection at 900. He would not always admit it but while watching his DVDs, Kenny always had a large bag of gummy fish to eat. Uncle Kenny, you will be missed and loved P.F. Gonzalez

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Catherine Estevez posted a condolence

Monday, August 21, 2023

Kenny was so funny and loved to tease my Nino (godfather). I thought it was hilarious and played along. He was a very happy person and made others around him happy too. I remember spending time with him in Rehoboth Beach and of course, I loved hearing his Brooklyn accent. I also loved when he called my Nina (godmother) “my sistah.” He was kind, caring, loving AND hilarious. He was and forever will be an amazing person! I also remember that he has pictures of me in his phone, one when I was a little girl and when from last Thanksgiving when I saw him. Whenever he was eating, he would say “Don’t talk to me when I’m eating.” I loved this quote and took it as my own. Even though Kenny loved to talk, he didn’t want anyone talking when he was eating. I’ll never forget that funny guy. I also want to thank Nellie and Milo for being with Kenny and taking great care of him. Rest in peace, funny guy.

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Evelyn Paul posted a condolence

Monday, August 21, 2023

Kenny, fue un placer conocerte. Eres una persona muy amable y amigable. Siempre tenias esa magia para hacernos reir. Gracias por siempre estar pendiente de Catherine, y por tenerla en tus fotos. Me acuerdo que cuando la vistes la ultima vez en Thanksgiving del año pasado, le tomastes una nueva foto. Carlos, Jean, Edvin, Catherine y yo te recordaremos. Siempre te tendremos en nuestros corazones.

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Raisa Otero-Cesario posted a condolence

Monday, August 21, 2023

My Brother and Me I didn’t meet my brother, Kenny, until I was 8 years old; Kenny was 18 at the time. I’m sure it was difficult for an 18-year old young man to maintain a relationship with an inquisitive little girl. Kenny would answer my letters (I’m sure he was thrilled with that!!!), but he was probably more interested in his own life at that time. We did manage to stay in touch as we (mostly me) grew up. Kenny got married, had 2 boys and came out to visit us a few times. Did I mention that he lived in Brooklyn and I was in East Gary, Indiana? I did grow up, went to school and as fate would have it, ended up working in New York City and actually living in Brooklyn. It was then that we actually got closer and stayed that way. He was the one that picked me up in Brooklyn to take me to the church on my wedding day. My church was being renovated and my priest suggested that we get married in the groom’s church. Michael lived in New Rochelle and that’s where we were getting married. We were very late (no cell phones back then). I think that Michael thought that I had changed my mind. Despite that fact, Michael and Kenny became close friends and probably spoke on the phone weekly (mostly about wrestling). For a person who didn’t spend much time with his father, Kenny had a lot of our father, John’s wonderful characteristics. Besides looking so much alike, they were both kind, loving and could make friends easily. They had wicked senses of humor and if they picked on you, you knew that it was all in fun, never mean, and more importantly, you knew that they loved you. You felt cared for and loved in their presence. I’m sure Kenny’s friends felt that also. Kenny maintained friendships from his childhood days. We often talked about his cousin and friends from the neighborhood, who now live in Greenwood Lakes. We also spoke about his friends from Con Ed, who met on Wednesdays for breakfast. Even when he couldn’t see them, they spoke on the phone. He loved Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and visited us often. He drove to Cape May, New Jersey, and took the ferry to Lewes, Delaware. Although Rehoboth is known as a beach town, Kenny didn’t go for the beach (sometimes never even saw the water). He went for the food and he had his favorite restaurants that we went to every time he came down. On his return to Brooklyn, he would make sure that he bought coconut muffins and apple turnovers to take back to his Brooklyn friends. The closest person in his life is Nellie Roman. They have been together for 13 years and loved and took care of each other during that entire time. Through good times and bad ones, they were there for each other. I’m sure that Kenny will continue taking care of Nellie, his partner in crime, now that he has a closer tie to God. Then there was Milo—the “Little Man.” Milo is Nellie’s dog and that little ball of fur brought so much joy to Kenny and vice versa. Anyone who knows Kenny, knows that he was not an animal person. I don’t really think that Kenny considered Milo an animal. Milo was his buddy and he referred to him as his son. They went to MacDonald’s and Nathan’s together to have lunch. When we spoke on the phone, he always told me that my “nephew” was asking for me. I was grateful that they found each other for the happiness that Milo gave to Kenny. I was Kenny’s favorite “Sistah” (I’m actually his only sister), but that’s what he always called me. I will miss him dearly, but I know that he’s no longer in pain and has found peace. I’m sure he danced his way up to heaven and was greeted by family and his many friends when he got there. Que viva la raza, Bro!!!

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Mike Cesario posted a condolence

Monday, August 21, 2023

Kenny was a kind and funny brother-in-law. He talked just like his father. He had a terrific personality and made friends easily. He loved the WWE and watched wrestling almost every night of the week, especially Raw and SmackDown. He taught me a lot about the WWE, often saying “didn’t I tell you about Vince McMahon, the owner of the league, and teams like Roman Reigns and the Family.” We even went to a live match in Ocean City, MD, when we saw C.M. Punk (not one of Kenny’s favorites). Kenny knew the “story lines” of all the wrestlers’ personal lives. Consequently, he had a greater than 98% winning percentage on his selections. We were a good combination and he’d always remind me I was his favorite brother-in-law. He would then immediately remind me that I was his only brother-in-law.

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Hector Troy posted a condolence

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Dear Kenny, We've known each other for most of our lives. And what I'll remember most is the fun we used to have as kids growing up on Warren Street, Brooklyn. I'm so glad our lives touched. Hector Troy

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The family of Kent Otero uploaded a photo

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Kent Otero

1938 - 2023

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