Barbara Jean Montgomery, 66, of Black Eagle, passed away on Oct. 5, 2021. Four years ago, a stroke took away her “spark of life.” COVID took away anything that was left.
Barb was born in Minot, ND, on Oct. 10, 1954, to Wesley and Erma Munson. Shortly after that, they moved to Billings, MT. One of Barb’s biggest dreams was to own a horse, which her parents said she could have if they ever lived out in the country. Much to their surprise, her dad eventually found a job as a country school janitor. This meant that Barb could now have her horse. She spoke fondly of having the horse neck-deep in the ditch and jumping off his back to go swimming. Barb became the first in her family to graduate from high school when she graduated from West High School in 1972.
After graduation, she married Steven Harren but divorced shortly after that. Barb tried to work as a waitress but ended up pouring a pitcher of beer onto someone who got a little too loud and a little too friendly. She agreed with her boss that she needed a different profession. She determined that it should be a sitting down job, so she became a secretary and worked for Weissman’s in Billings and then the City of Billings at the water department.
She met David Montgomery and gave birth to her daughter, Nicole. She moved with Dave to Bozeman and attended Montana State University for a couple of years and the couple married. School was not her thing, and she went to work for Weissman’s again in Bozeman. At the time, she drove a blue Volkswagen Beetle she named “George” to work. One day the temperature was about 20 below, and everyone’s expensive vehicles would not start, but “George” did. The shotgun rider was in charge of scraping the window on the inside since that air-cooled engine could not keep up with four people breathing in that bitter cold.
After Dave graduated from MSU, the family moved to Great Falls, and Barb gave birth to Karom David. Karom’s kidneys were destroyed soon after birth, which meant Barb and Dave did around-the-clock dialysis at home to keep him alive. He was a happy boy with a great smile. Unfortunately, SIDS came to call, and he died the day after Thanksgiving.
A year later, Danielle was born. In Great Falls, Barb worked for a group of accountants and was then hired as a secretary and insurance adjuster for Crawford and Company. She ended her career as an Administrative Assistant at the Great Falls Community Food Bank. She truly enjoyed working for George Paul and Gayle Carlson. While working there, she was excited to welcome her grandchildren, Emily and Jacen. She was planning to work a few more years, but one day she came to work and could not remember how to do things even though she had worked there for 10 years. The stroke had happened, and she retreated to her home.
She loved reading romance novels. In fact, she would head to work an hour or more early so she could sit in the parking lot and read before work. Sadly, her stroke caused such memory problems that reading became impossible for her.
Summer was her favorite season, and her backyard was always full of colorful geraniums, petunias, and one cherry tomato plant for Dave. Her Basset Hound, Frank, was her constant companion the last few years. She also enjoyed collecting goose and duck-themed figurines, cookie jars, and other items to decorate the house. She asked that her remains be placed in her goose cookie jar and be interred at Hillcrest Mausoleum. Those wishes were honored.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Milton (Darlene) Munson, and her son, Karom.
She is survived by her husband; daughters, Nicole (Ben) Jetland and Dani (MaryAnn) Montgomery, and grandchildren.
A memorial service was held at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel on Friday, Oct. 15, 2021.
Condolences for the family may be shared online at SchniderFuneralHome.com.
