[Oe List ...] FW: John Montgomery

Sat Mar 26 09:10:22 CDT 2011

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] 
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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