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ROBERT ALBERT MONTGOMERY

Robert Albert Montgomery was born May 30, 1934 in Gastonia, NC to the late Frank Montgomery and Mamie Stowe Montgomery. After an extended illness, he went quietly and peacefully to be with the Lord on Monday, July 21, 2008, at home. He was predeceased by his parents, two sisters, Rosie and Gladys Montgomery, and two brothers, Clyde and Verlee Montgomery. He attended Gaston County schools and graduated from Highland High School in 1953. While a student at Highland, he excelled in several sports, lettering in baseball, basketball and football. In light of his athletic prowess, he was awarded a football scholarship to North Carolina College (now North Carolina Central University) in Durham, NC. While at NCC, he was an outstanding quarterback, punter and defensive back, excelling at all positions, nicknamed "The Triple Threat". During his helm, he quarterbacked three CIAA Championship Football Teams, earning All-CIAA his senior year. He led the conference in punting in 1954 and 1956. Montgomery was inducted into the NCCU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.

After graduating from NCCU in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science Degree, he spent two years in the United States Army, from 1958 until 1960, where he was honorably discharged. In 1960-61, Montgomery served as the Assistant Football Coach at Allen University in Columbia, SC. He then matriculated to Charlotte, NC where he became the Head Coach at Second Ward High School. Montgomery served in this capacity from 1961 until 1969. His 1964 squad won the North Carolina State Football Championship. In 1965, he coached the victorious West squad in the East-West Shrine Game in Durham, NC.

Upon the closing of Second Ward, Montgomery taught Driver Education at West Mecklenburg, Garinger, West Charlotte and South Mecklenburg High Schools. In 1975, he received a Master of Science Degree in Safety & Driving Education from North Carolina A & T State University.

Football was always Montgomery's first passion, and through the years he was instrumental in assisting a number of quality athletes enter various colleges and universities. He retired from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System in 1992 with 31 years of dedicated service.

Al, as he was affectionately known by family and friends, is survived by his wife of 49 years, Betty Cooper Montgomery and his three sons, Maurice (Constance), Eric (Kim Sioux), and Duane. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Dominique, Brittany, Christian, Leah, Brandi, Donovan, Brock and Charli Ana Montgomery, and one great-grandchild, Leela Owens. In addition, he is survived by his brother Grady Montgomery (Trecolia) of Fort Washington, MD, and two sisters, Daisy Gordon of Gastonia, NC and Cora Lee Montgomery, of New York, NY, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and dear friends. For forty years, Montgomery was a member of Greater Bethel AME Church, has been a member of Pi Phi Chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. His hobbies included sports, singing, playing cards, listening to music and telling his family wonderful stories of his days at NCC.

Montgomery was known to many by many different monikers - Coach, Monty, Money, Al, Bob, Big Pretty, and by his loving wife - Big Daddy.

A service to celebrate his life will be held at 12 noon at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 3301 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28216 with the Reverend Morris Reddon, Pastor, Greater Bethel AME Church, officiating.

The family will receive friends from 11 AM until the funeral hour, 12 noon. Burial will follow in Sunset Memory Gardens, 8901 Lawyers Road, Charlotte, NC 28227.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to either The Building Fund, Greater Bethel AME Church, 1409 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28203, or Presbyterian Hospice and Palliative Care, P.O. Box 33549, Charlotte, NC, 28233-3549.

The Montgomery family is in the care of Grier Funeral Service, 115 John McCarroll Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28216, 704-332-7109.

Robert, Beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend will be remembered as an amicable, loyal and generous individual who brought much love and wisdom to his family. He will always be our cherished missing link.