Ending a valiant fight with Alzheimer’s disease, God peacefully and quietly called our husband, father, grandfather, colleague and Deacon, William Lamar Montgomery, home to eternal rest and triumph.

Born October 12, 1924, to Jim and Mattie Davis Montgomery, William was the youngest son of eight brothers and sisters (5 boys, 3 girls) and raised in Atmore, AL.  A shy and quiet child, William was affectionately called “Man” by his Mother, perhaps due to his desire to work to help provide for their family, especially after the death of his Father at age 6.  He quickly became known as a child who sought the opportunity to work whether in the farming fields surrounding Atmore, running errands for neighbors or shop owners in town.  This developing work ethic carried and sustained him throughout his adult life.

1943 was a year of significant change for William Montgomery.  Drafted straight out of high school (a GED would be earned later), William spent his weeks of basic training for the Navy in IL.  After basic, he was sent to Cook and Baker school in Charleston, SC where he met and fell in love with the great love of his life, Alberta West.  He often told his children that “with one look at her, I was smitten for a life time.”  William and Alberta married June 15, 1945 and moved to the Tidewater area where he was baptized at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Portsmouth in 1946.  After 6 years in the Navy he then transferred to the Coast Guard where he would serve another 18 years.

Military life meant moving his wife and 5 children (3 sons, 2 daughters) along the East Coast of the US, first to Maryland, New Jersey and then to Boston, MA.  While stationed in Cape May, NJ, William was called to service as a Deacon (1966) at Macedonia Baptist Church under the pastorate of Rev. Robert L. Davis.

While in Boston, after 24 years of dedicated service to his country, William retired in 1967 as a Master Chief.  He moved his family back to Portsmouth where they re-joined Ebenezer and Rev. Johnson ordained him as a Deacon in 1968.  He faithfully served Ebenezer for over 30 years and became Deacon-Emeritus in 2015.  His dedication to His God and to Ebenezer were demonstrated through his service as a Church Bible School teacher, Superintendent of the Sunday School, Deacon Chair, Men’s Ministry and member of the Church Pulpit Search Committee.  He would also serve as one of the supply teachers for the weekly Sunday School lesson review at the Senior Station (Portsmouth) for a few years.

His years of service in the military coupled with his strong and consistent work ethic were clearly evident when he became the Dietary Manager of Maryview Hospital’s Dietary Dept. in 1967.  While at Maryview, he received training in Management at St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO.  Called “Mr. Ma’gomery” or “The Chief” by those who worked under his direction, he was known as a tough and meticulous boss.  Given great leeway and authority to hire and fire as he saw fit, he did!  He believed in giving young people an opportunity for a first job and during that time, probably hired most of the teenagers in Portsmouth.  He knew every job in his department and could out scrub any 20-year-old male that he hired.  Over the years, he became valued and loved by his workers and colleagues as a mentor, father figure, counselor, prayed warrior, guide and friend.  Many of his former young workers have gone on to careers in the military, higher education and management positions in various fields of business and hospital administration.

William will be missed for his dedication, faithfulness to duty and great sense of responsibility to his family, his extended family, his colleagues, those he helped in life and his church.  Sweet memories and joy of past days with Bill, Daddy, Uncle Bill, Grandpa, “Chief,” Mr. Ma’gomery and Deacon Montgomery will be cherished by his wife of 71 years, Alberta; their children, Dr. Dennis Lamar of Suffolk, VA; Billie Montgomery Cook (Keith) of Portsmouth, VA; Stanley West (Olivia) of Suffolk, VA and Nina Yvonne (Chesa); daughter-in-love, Joyce Baker Montgomery of Ft. Washington, MD; 7 grandchildren, 10 Great-grandchildren and 1 Great-great grandchild; 2 sisters, Brunetta O’Neal of Toledo, OH and Voncile Stallworth of Atmore, AL; many nieces, nephews, and a huge extended family.  He was pre-deceased by his parents, brothers, a sister; his son, Samuel Avery, his Grand-daughter, Jeanina Sinclair Cook and his daughter-in-love, Patricia Fuller Montgomery.

In lieu of flowers, plants, foodstuffs, etc., the family of William Lamar Montgomery requests that a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association be made in his memory: Alzheimer’s Assn, SEVA Chapter, 6350 Center Drive, Suite 102, Norfolk, VA 23502, 757-459-2405.

A celebration of Deacon Montgomery’s life will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2017, 12 Noon at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 728 Effingham Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704.  Entombment will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum, Chesapeake.