Our dear Don Luis Bonilla, left us the night of Wednesday, March 6, 2013, surrounded by those who loved him the most, his family and friends.
Don Luis Bonilla, better known as “El Muñequito de Oro”, was born on June 19, 1920 in the town of Aibonito, Puerto Rico. At the age of one, his parents, Doña Vicenta González and Ramón Bonilla, decided to move the family to the town of Caguas, where Don Luis grew up.
From an early age, Don Luis showed an interest in music and by age 12 he was already attending a radio station known as “La Güira“, when he produced a program called “Buscando Estrellas“. He began singing on the radio stations WVJP and WNEL with the group Rítmico Cagüeño, where he made the second voice.
Don Luis already boasted of his talent in the Parrandas of different towns, such as Gurabo, Yabucoa, Humacao, Cayey, Aguas Buenas, San Lorenzo, etc. At the young age of 24 years, Bonilla contracted nuptials with Doña Francisca Rodríguez and had three daughters.
Bonilla arrived in New York City with his family, where he worked in different activities and it was not until 1979 that he arrived in Lawrence, where he opened a candy store on Park Street. Don Luis had a cheerful personality, liked to talk and share with people and was always a lover of Puerto Rican music.
We are not surprised that for the last few years he used the love and charisma that characterized him, to make the radio program Así Canta Puerto Rico his primary commitment to the community. Don Luis left us an immense void in the community, especially in María Ortiz and Luis David Hiraldo, who shared with him the program Así Canta Puerto Rico every Sunday.
Fortunately, the radio program Así Canta Puerto Rico still uses his voice so, sometimes, it seems to us as if he is still among us. He lived with music and went with her. How can we forget the night of his wake?
Let’s thank the Almighty for granting us the joy of having him among us.
