Fordyce Obituary

Walter C. Montgomery Obituary
1963

Attorney Walter C. Montgomer, One Of County's Most Prominent Citizens, Dies After Long Illness
Waynesburg Attorney Walter C. Montgomery, 82, of 311 North Richhill street, Waynesburg, one of Greene County's Best known citizens, dies at 3:50 a.m. Saturday, March 9, 1963, in the Greene County Memorial Hospital.
His death followed a gradual decline in health over the last two years. He condition became critical a few weeks ago.
In addition to having been one of the county's most active attorneys, he was also a former National Guard officer, was a long time State board member and past president of the Pennsylvania Baptist Convention; a past president of the board of trustees of Waynesburg College and very active inn numerous civic and charitable organizations.
He was one of the organizers of the present Greene County Memorial Hospital, served as a solicitor for many years, and was one of the guiding forces in erection of the present structure. He was also a campaign fund chairman for the construction of the new west wing.
Mr. Montgomery was born September 3, 1879, in Washington Township, Greene County. He was a son of Thomas Hoge Montgomery and Emma Gordon Montgomery.
He began his military career as an enlistee in the Greene County National Guard unit, Company K of the former 110th Infantry.
Attorney Montgomery was captain of the company during its 1916 Mexican border service and during its mobilization and training for World War I.
While in France, he was transferred in May, 1918, to the Second Army Corps as assistant G-3 General Staff.
He graduated from Waynesburg College in the class of 1903 and from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1906.
He was admitted to the bar in Greene County in 1908 and for many yeras was associated with the late Col. Thomas S. Crago, former U. S. Congressman and former commander of the 10th Infantry of the National Guard.
His later law associates included Attornet Robert Thompson, of Waynesburg, and also his late son, Attorney Hugh C. Montgomery, and his nephew, Attorney John Baily.
During and just preceding the Second World War, he served as chairman of the Greene County Selective Service Board from the time it was founded in 1940 until November, 1950, when her resigned because of the press of other committments and duties.
Besides his professional career and his church and military obligations, Mr. Montgomery was outstanding in her service to the community in various phases of charitable and civic affairs.
He represented many of the large coal companies which had dealings in Greene County and through these connections was one of the most influential individuals in making possible the extension of the Monongahela Railroad from Brownsville to Waynesburg in the early 1930's.
Besides being influential in the construction of the County Hospital, he was deeply interested in education and served as acting president of the collegeborad of trustees in 1936 and as president from 1941 through 1960, during which time the college made its greatest growth in enrollment and endowment in its entire history.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Waynesburg, a former deacon and at the time of his death a trustee. He was the reprsentative of the Ten Mile Baptist Association and was on the board of managers of the Pennsylvania Baptist Convention for many years, serving a president in 1948-49.
In recognition of his interest in education and religion, he was awarded a [sic] honarary degree of Doctor of Laws by his alma mater in 1958.
He was a director and solicitor of the First National Bank of Carmichaels; was an organizer and director of the Waynesburg Chamber of Commerce and served as its president in 1932, and later served as a national counsellor as well as representative in the State Chamber of Commerce.
Fraternally, he was affiliated with Waynesburg Lodge F. and A. M. 153 and was master of the Lodge in 1910-11; a member of the Pittsburgh Consistory; a 32nd degree Mason; and a member of Syria Temple Shrine and Washington Royal Arch Chapter 150.
He was also a charter member and director of the Greene County Country Club; a past exalted ruler of the Waynesburg Lodge 757, B. O. O. Elks [sic]; a charter member of the James Farrell Post 330, American Legion Post, Waynesburg;a charter member of the Fort Jackson Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution; a past chancellor commander of the Waynesburg Knights of Pythias Lodge; a charter member and past president of the former Waynesburg Kiwanis Club and a member and director of the Washington County Motor Club.
Mr. Montgomery was married June 25, 1908, to his college classmate, Grace Sayers, who survives, as do two sons, Thomas Ford Montgomery, of Baytown, Texas, and Walter C. Montgomery, Jr., of Boulder City, Nev., and six grandchildren.
One son, Attorney Hugh C. Montgomery, and a daughter, Virginia McDermott, are deceased.

The names of three sisters of Atty. Walter C. Montgomery, of Waynesburg, who died Saturday, were omited from the obituary published Monday. They are Bernice, wife of Earl Murdock, of Waynesburg, and Mrs. Florence Murdock and Mrs. Pauline Warne, both of Pittsburgh. Two brothers are deceased.
Newspaper obituary, date and source unknown (Greene County, PA)

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