[Dialogue] [Oe List ...] FW: John Montgomery

Tue Mar 29 23:59:39 CDT 2011

I had learned to play the stand-up string bass in high school. Somehow or
another George Holcombe found out and asked me to play in the summer 50's
and 60's ensemble on Sat nights--George on sax, Randy Willams on guitar (or
vocals), Bob on Drums, Guitar ??, who else?

We played for several summer assemblies. I even in-kinded 4 tubas and wrote
the scores for a tuba quartet for *The Impossible Dream* for one of the
summer Sat-nite celebrations.

George and Wanda went off--to the Phillipines I think. The next summer John
approached me and said, "We want you to play the electric bass in our
ensemble this summer." My response was, "I don't know how to play the
electric bass?" His response was, "You can learn."

That was the summer we played *Sweet Home Chicago*. I also learned to play
Jumpin' Jack Flash--a miracle!

David

2011/3/29 Lynda Cock <llc860 at triad.rr.com>

>  Jaime's reflection of jovial John M. reminds me that John was one of the
> Blues Brothers in one of the Cabarets or some celebration at Kemper during a
> summer program.  I believe he played the sax.  Who was the other Blues
> Brother?  Was it Lee Early or George Packard?  I can remember someone tall.
> On a recent trip to Chicago's Midway Airport, we took a photo of the Blues
> Brother statue which I meant to send to John.  Instead we used it on John's
> blog (www.rejourney.blogspot.com) in memory of John.
>
> We'll listen to some good jazz as we remember John this week.
>
> John and Judy were the guardians for our son Jeremiah when we left for a
> year in India.  Jono was in the student house, but visited with the
> Montgomeries often to see his little brother.  Their informative letters,
> photos and even a phone call (before the advent of everyone having a
> computer and skype abilities) were most helpful to us as we struggled with
> being so far away from our youngsters.  We had been in 5th City  with John
> and Judy several years before when Jeremiah was born.   Judy and I struggled
> with Fifth City Preschool budgets and later worked in Training Inc.
> together.  We give thanks for their lives and for their service to local
> communities and to the world.  Our sympathy and care to Tim and Matt and
> John's family.
> Peace,  Lynda Cock
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] *On
> Behalf Of *Jaime R Vergara
> *Sent:* Saturday, March 26, 2011 10:10 AM
> *To:* oe at wedgeblade.net
> *Subject:* Re: [Oe List ...] FW: John Montgomery
>
>  John Montgomery
>
> When Ninoy Aquino was assassinated at the Manila International Airport in
> 1984, the nation went into of fit of laughter, quite literally.  Jokes
> about the Marcos’ conjugal kleptocracy mushroomed and we giggled our way
> through bottles of San Miguel beer while burning the tires in the middle of
> the street, dodging the military convoys and ignoring the curfew.
>
> The *Pinoy’s* sense of sorrow is expressed in mirth.  John doubly deserves
> the response because he also exemplified, in my time with him, a light touch
> on being.  While teaching with him at the Academy, he used to be a
> counterpoint to the Van Gogh seriousness of our colleague Desmond Avery.  His
> favorite illustration for his Freedom lecture was his spoiled fat puppy.
>
> After the Vergara’s covenant with UMC collapsed, we reconfigured our living
> arrangement with Mary Lou and the girls heading to Hawaii while I returned
> to deal with affairs in the country of my birth.  We remained faithful to
> our care for one another.  Mary Lou stayed loyal as my parent’s  daughter
> in the manner of Ruth to Naomi.  Later, after the marriage entered the
> legal state of divorce, she retained her married name (even to this day).
> Her care for the children’s future was without blemish even as she had to
> meet the requirements of an MSW at UH-Manoa, and I wandered far beyond the
> boundaries of marital fidelity.
>
> She returned to Kemper after Hawaii, which by then could not handle the
> institutional collapse at the EI/ICA/O:E center, and the massive exodus of
> members in the early 80s.  Our covenant to the Order, unbeknown to us, was
> formally pulled from under us when we went on our ‘sabbatical’, and upon
> Mary Lou’s return to Lawrence and Sheridan, she was told that the Vergaras
> will have to start all over again as Interns!
>
> Judy and John became extended family in Uptown and our last gathering
> together was full of laughter over pizza and beer.  When the Montgomerys
> relocated to Atlanta, and Judy called 'ten-four,' John got designated Uncle
> in my book, especially when Mary Lou moved to the Peach State.  I last
> clinked glasses with John (he was with one of the boys, not sure whether it
> was Tim or Matt) at Kristina’s wedding in 2007 in southern Illinois.
>
> Even John’s metaphysical and theological musings (we tried email but it was
> sparodic) were sprinkled with the touch of irreverent lightness and defiance
> to established order.  His e*mail monkey handle alone attested to a
> rebellious guerrilla stance striking at the edges rather than confronting
> the core, pirouetting as a trans-establishment on tiptoes!
>
> So if there is levity in our grief, it comes not only from our ethnicity
> but also of jovial Friar Tuck character that John on many occasions enjoyed
> playing.  I think it is in character that we can all grin as we bid him *
> adieu.*
>
>
> j'aime la vie
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lynda Cock <llc860 at triad.rr.com>
> To: 'Colleague Dialogue' <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>; O:E List <
> OE at wedgeblade.net>
> Sent: Thu, Mar 24, 2011 11:59 pm
> Subject: [Oe List ...] FW: John Montgomery
>
>  This info from Mary Lou Vergara.
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* M L VERGARA [mailto:vergara99 at bellsouth.net<vergara99 at bellsouth.net?>]
>
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 24, 2011 6:02 AM
> *To:* undisclosed recipients:
> *Subject:* John Montgomery
>
>    Dear Friends and Colleagues,
> It saddens me to inform you that John Montgomery passed away yesterday
> morning (3/23) at his home in Duluth, Georgia.   He had been in poor
> health and had a heart attack.  Matt was home with him at the time.  Funeral
> arrangements have not been made yet, but I wanted to get the word to you
> ASAP, in case you want to contact Matt and Tim.
> Tim will be arriving from Tallahassee today, and John’s father and sister
> will be arriving from Missouri and California respectively.  I expect the
> funeral to be at John’s church, Glenn Memorial UMC on the Emory campus in
> Atlanta.
> The best way to contact the boys is through Matt:
> Asian.accent at comcast.net
> Ph:  678-468-4913   (you can also try 678-468-4914)
> Home address:  2544 Landington Way, Duluth, GA. 30096
>
> Contact info for John’s father, Rev. Dr. John C. Montgomery Jr. (Jack)
> Jm-jr at sbcglobal.net
> Home address:  2150 W. Randolph, Bldg 3,#809-H, St. Charles, MO. 63301
>
> I will send more information when it becomes available.
>
> Grace & Peace –
>
> Mary Lou Vergara
> mvergara at bellsouth.net
> Home: 404-327-7745
> Cell: 404-580-9340
>
>
>
>
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