MONTY L. "SONNY" MONTGOMERY passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. Sonny was born in Urania, Louisiana on June 13, 1934 to Louise Barnes Montgomery and Louis Ottis Montgomery. His family moved to Hodge, Louisiana when he was very young.
Sonny graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1953. He was a naturally gifted athlete and he played both basketball and baseball. His basketball team won the Louisiana State Championship two years in a row in 1952 and 1953. As the result, Sonny was named "All Louisiana." He was also scouted for Pro Baseball, but he chose to attend Northeast State in Monroe, Louisiana on a basketball scholarship. He was only able to play for one year because he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1954.
Sonny was trained to be an intelligence officer, but when the Army learned of his baseball talents he was chosen to play for the Army all-stars baseball team. They shipped him to Okinawa, Japan, where he would play exhibition games against the famous New York Yankees in 1956. Because of his wrist speed and his power hitting ability, many critics that year compared Sonny to his childhood hero, Ted Williams. This made him very, very proud.
During one of his games in Japan, some members of Centenary College in Louisiana saw how well Sonny played and got word back to the coach. Because of this, Centenary extended a full baseball scholarship to Sonny when he was discharged from the Army. Sonny came back home to find not one but two offers waiting for him, the full scholarship to Centenary and an offer to play Pro baseball for the Detroit Tigers. He decided that Detroit was too far away from home, and he accepted the scholarship and moved to Shreveport.
Sonny had already met and decided to marry Frances Nunn on October 20, 1956. He graduated from Centenary in 1959, and decided to coach one year in Quitman before receiving a job offer that would bring himself and Frances to Pasadena, Texas. Sonny would teach and coach for PISD for the next ten years. During that time, their son Blair and daughter Tanya were born. In 1970 Sonny received a coaching offer from Huffman ISD. He led a special group of young men from their seventh grade year through their junior year in high school. This team won district Championship and went through the playoffs, through the State tournament, to fall only one game short of being State Champions in 1975-76. This was one of Coach Montgomery's greatest accomplishments and proudest moments. He would return to Pasadena school district in 1978, and teach at both South Houston and Bondy intermediate schools.
He retired from teaching and coaching in 1995, with over thirty eight years of experience. His retirement days were full of love and laughter due to the blessings God gave him in five lovely granddaughters who he loved with all his heart.
Our family wishes to extend a special thank you to our close friend Vickie Botello for her faithful devotion to caring for Sonny all during the time he was battling cancer. We also would like to thank the St. Luke's Hospital and its pulmonary critical care team and Houston Hospice for such wonderful and professional care.
To the following doctors we offer our gratitude for their individual care: Dr. Eric Bernicker, Dr. Mark A. Sutton, Dr. Roy Vargueese, and Dr. Arthur Springer.
Sonny is preceded in death by his parents Louis Ottis Montgomery and Louise Barnes Montgomery, his brother George Montgomery, and his infant brother Roger Dale Montgomery. He also lost his close friend George Parks just a few years ago.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Fran Montgomery; his son Reverend Monty Blair Montgomery and wife Leah; his daughter Tanya Varela and husband John; five loving granddaughters, Ashley and Andrea Montgomery, Emily, Sarah, and Isabella Varela; sister Barbara Arceneaux and husband Billy, and their children William and Janet; brother-in-law, David Nunn; and dear friends Jeanne and Domie Gallant, and Tony and Staci Mercurio. We cannot forget Sonny's little dog Maggie.
The family will receive friends from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Saturday, November 24th, and the Funeral Service will be at 2:00pm Sunday, November 25th, both held at Niday-Fairmont Funeral Home in Pasadena. Interment will follow at Antioch Cemetery in Quitman, Louisiana.
Sonny graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1953. He was a naturally gifted athlete and he played both basketball and baseball. His basketball team won the Louisiana State Championship two years in a row in 1952 and 1953. As the result, Sonny was named "All Louisiana." He was also scouted for Pro Baseball, but he chose to attend Northeast State in Monroe, Louisiana on a basketball scholarship. He was only able to play for one year because he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1954.
Sonny was trained to be an intelligence officer, but when the Army learned of his baseball talents he was chosen to play for the Army all-stars baseball team. They shipped him to Okinawa, Japan, where he would play exhibition games against the famous New York Yankees in 1956. Because of his wrist speed and his power hitting ability, many critics that year compared Sonny to his childhood hero, Ted Williams. This made him very, very proud.
During one of his games in Japan, some members of Centenary College in Louisiana saw how well Sonny played and got word back to the coach. Because of this, Centenary extended a full baseball scholarship to Sonny when he was discharged from the Army. Sonny came back home to find not one but two offers waiting for him, the full scholarship to Centenary and an offer to play Pro baseball for the Detroit Tigers. He decided that Detroit was too far away from home, and he accepted the scholarship and moved to Shreveport.
Sonny had already met and decided to marry Frances Nunn on October 20, 1956. He graduated from Centenary in 1959, and decided to coach one year in Quitman before receiving a job offer that would bring himself and Frances to Pasadena, Texas. Sonny would teach and coach for PISD for the next ten years. During that time, their son Blair and daughter Tanya were born. In 1970 Sonny received a coaching offer from Huffman ISD. He led a special group of young men from their seventh grade year through their junior year in high school. This team won district Championship and went through the playoffs, through the State tournament, to fall only one game short of being State Champions in 1975-76. This was one of Coach Montgomery's greatest accomplishments and proudest moments. He would return to Pasadena school district in 1978, and teach at both South Houston and Bondy intermediate schools.
He retired from teaching and coaching in 1995, with over thirty eight years of experience. His retirement days were full of love and laughter due to the blessings God gave him in five lovely granddaughters who he loved with all his heart.
Our family wishes to extend a special thank you to our close friend Vickie Botello for her faithful devotion to caring for Sonny all during the time he was battling cancer. We also would like to thank the St. Luke's Hospital and its pulmonary critical care team and Houston Hospice for such wonderful and professional care.
To the following doctors we offer our gratitude for their individual care: Dr. Eric Bernicker, Dr. Mark A. Sutton, Dr. Roy Vargueese, and Dr. Arthur Springer.
Sonny is preceded in death by his parents Louis Ottis Montgomery and Louise Barnes Montgomery, his brother George Montgomery, and his infant brother Roger Dale Montgomery. He also lost his close friend George Parks just a few years ago.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Fran Montgomery; his son Reverend Monty Blair Montgomery and wife Leah; his daughter Tanya Varela and husband John; five loving granddaughters, Ashley and Andrea Montgomery, Emily, Sarah, and Isabella Varela; sister Barbara Arceneaux and husband Billy, and their children William and Janet; brother-in-law, David Nunn; and dear friends Jeanne and Domie Gallant, and Tony and Staci Mercurio. We cannot forget Sonny's little dog Maggie.
The family will receive friends from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Saturday, November 24th, and the Funeral Service will be at 2:00pm Sunday, November 25th, both held at Niday-Fairmont Funeral Home in Pasadena. Interment will follow at Antioch Cemetery in Quitman, Louisiana.
MONTY L. "SONNY" MONTGOMERY passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 21, 2012, after a courageous battle with cancer. Sonny was born in Urania, Louisiana on June 13, 1934 to Louise Barnes Montgomery and Louis Ottis Montgomery. His family moved to Hodge, Louisiana when he was very young.
Sonny graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1953. He was a naturally gifted athlete and he played both basketball and baseball. His basketball team won the Louisiana State Championship two years in a row in 1952 and 1953. As the result, Sonny was named "All Louisiana." He was also scouted for Pro Baseball, but he chose to attend Northeast State in Monroe, Louisiana on a basketball scholarship. He was only able to play for one year because he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1954.
Sonny was trained to be an intelligence officer, but when the Army learned of his baseball talents he was chosen to play for the Army all-stars baseball team. They shipped him to Okinawa, Japan, where he would play exhibition games against the famous New York Yankees in 1956. Because of his wrist speed and his power hitting ability, many critics that year compared Sonny to his childhood hero, Ted Williams. This made him very, very proud.
During one of his games in Japan, some members of Centenary College in Louisiana saw how well Sonny played and got word back to the coach. Because of this, Centenary extended a full baseball scholarship to Sonny when he was discharged from the Army. Sonny came back home to find not one but two offers waiting for him, the full scholarship to Centenary and an offer to play Pro baseball for the Detroit Tigers. He decided that Detroit was too far away from home, and he accepted the scholarship and moved to Shreveport.
Sonny had already met and decided to marry Frances Nunn on October 20, 1956. He graduated from Centenary in 1959, and decided to coach one year in Quitman before receiving a job offer that would bring himself and Frances to Pasadena, Texas. Sonny would teach and coach for PISD for the next ten years. During that time, their son Blair and daughter Tanya were born. In 1970 Sonny received a coaching offer from Huffman ISD. He led a special group of young men from their seventh grade year through their junior year in high school. This team won district Championship and went through the playoffs, through the State tournament, to fall only one game short of being State Champions in 1975-76. This was one of Coach Montgomery's greatest accomplishments and proudest moments. He would return to Pasadena school district in 1978, and teach at both South Houston and Bondy intermediate schools.
He retired from teaching and coaching in 1995, with over thirty eight years of experience. His retirement days were full of love and laughter due to the blessings God gave him in five lovely granddaughters who he loved with all his heart.
Our family wishes to extend a special thank you to our close friend Vickie Botello for her faithful devotion to caring for Sonny all during the time he was battling cancer. We also would like to thank the St. Luke's Hospital and its pulmonary critical care team and Houston Hospice for such wonderful and professional care.
To the following doctors we offer our gratitude for their individual care: Dr. Eric Bernicker, Dr. Mark A. Sutton, Dr. Roy Vargueese, and Dr. Arthur Springer.
Sonny is preceded in death by his parents Louis Ottis Montgomery and Louise Barnes Montgomery, his brother George Montgomery, and his infant brother Roger Dale Montgomery. He also lost his close friend George Parks just a few years ago.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Fran Montgomery; his son Reverend Monty Blair Montgomery and wife Leah; his daughter Tanya Varela and husband John; five loving granddaughters, Ashley and Andrea Montgomery, Emily, Sarah, and Isabella Varela; sister Barbara Arceneaux and husband Billy, and their children William and Janet; brother-in-law, David Nunn; and dear friends Jeanne and Domie Gallant, and Tony and Staci Mercurio. We cannot forget Sonny's little dog Maggie.
The family will receive friends from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Saturday, November 24th, and the Funeral Service will be at 2:00pm Sunday, November 25th, both held at Niday-Fairmont Funeral Home in Pasadena. Interment will follow at Antioch Cemetery in Quitman, Louisiana.
Sonny graduated from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1953. He was a naturally gifted athlete and he played both basketball and baseball. His basketball team won the Louisiana State Championship two years in a row in 1952 and 1953. As the result, Sonny was named "All Louisiana." He was also scouted for Pro Baseball, but he chose to attend Northeast State in Monroe, Louisiana on a basketball scholarship. He was only able to play for one year because he was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1954.
Sonny was trained to be an intelligence officer, but when the Army learned of his baseball talents he was chosen to play for the Army all-stars baseball team. They shipped him to Okinawa, Japan, where he would play exhibition games against the famous New York Yankees in 1956. Because of his wrist speed and his power hitting ability, many critics that year compared Sonny to his childhood hero, Ted Williams. This made him very, very proud.
During one of his games in Japan, some members of Centenary College in Louisiana saw how well Sonny played and got word back to the coach. Because of this, Centenary extended a full baseball scholarship to Sonny when he was discharged from the Army. Sonny came back home to find not one but two offers waiting for him, the full scholarship to Centenary and an offer to play Pro baseball for the Detroit Tigers. He decided that Detroit was too far away from home, and he accepted the scholarship and moved to Shreveport.
Sonny had already met and decided to marry Frances Nunn on October 20, 1956. He graduated from Centenary in 1959, and decided to coach one year in Quitman before receiving a job offer that would bring himself and Frances to Pasadena, Texas. Sonny would teach and coach for PISD for the next ten years. During that time, their son Blair and daughter Tanya were born. In 1970 Sonny received a coaching offer from Huffman ISD. He led a special group of young men from their seventh grade year through their junior year in high school. This team won district Championship and went through the playoffs, through the State tournament, to fall only one game short of being State Champions in 1975-76. This was one of Coach Montgomery's greatest accomplishments and proudest moments. He would return to Pasadena school district in 1978, and teach at both South Houston and Bondy intermediate schools.
He retired from teaching and coaching in 1995, with over thirty eight years of experience. His retirement days were full of love and laughter due to the blessings God gave him in five lovely granddaughters who he loved with all his heart.
Our family wishes to extend a special thank you to our close friend Vickie Botello for her faithful devotion to caring for Sonny all during the time he was battling cancer. We also would like to thank the St. Luke's Hospital and its pulmonary critical care team and Houston Hospice for such wonderful and professional care.
To the following doctors we offer our gratitude for their individual care: Dr. Eric Bernicker, Dr. Mark A. Sutton, Dr. Roy Vargueese, and Dr. Arthur Springer.
Sonny is preceded in death by his parents Louis Ottis Montgomery and Louise Barnes Montgomery, his brother George Montgomery, and his infant brother Roger Dale Montgomery. He also lost his close friend George Parks just a few years ago.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Fran Montgomery; his son Reverend Monty Blair Montgomery and wife Leah; his daughter Tanya Varela and husband John; five loving granddaughters, Ashley and Andrea Montgomery, Emily, Sarah, and Isabella Varela; sister Barbara Arceneaux and husband Billy, and their children William and Janet; brother-in-law, David Nunn; and dear friends Jeanne and Domie Gallant, and Tony and Staci Mercurio. We cannot forget Sonny's little dog Maggie.
The family will receive friends from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Saturday, November 24th, and the Funeral Service will be at 2:00pm Sunday, November 25th, both held at Niday-Fairmont Funeral Home in Pasadena. Interment will follow at Antioch Cemetery in Quitman, Louisiana.
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