William Edwin Montgomery

U.S.A.F. Lt. Col., Retired, William Edwin “Bill” Montgomery, age 91, passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2008, in the Carl Vinson VA Center in Dublin following a lengthy illness. Services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 10, in the cemetery at Andersonville National Historic Site with full military honors. Rev. Matt Stewart will be the officiating minister. Born May 1, 1917, in Sinton, TX, Lt. Col. Montgomery was a son of the late Alexander Hamilton Montgomery and Clyde Woods Montgomery. He served with the U.S. Air Force for almost 25 years prior to his retirement on Oct. 1, 1965. He served as a pilot during World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the first portion of the Vietnam Conflict. He flew 66 combat missions and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and seven air medals. Following his retirement from the Air Force, he worked as a logistics engineer at the Kennedy Space Center for 12 years, later retiring from the Boeing Aerospace Company. Memorial contributions may be made to the Carl Vinson VA Center, 1826 Veterans Blvd, Dublin, GA 31021, or to the Lee Street United Methodist Church, 1102 South Lee Street, Americus, GA 31709. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Martha Jossey Montgomery; sons William Gary Montgomery and his wife Kathy of Royce City, TX, and Glenn Stuart Montgomery of Roswell, GA; a sister-in-law, Alma Rooks Jossey of Lake Blackshear; 2 brothers, Douglas Montgomery and his wife Ava of Taft, TX, and Jack Montgomery of Little Elam, TX; grandchildren Jonathan and Katherine Montgomery of Royce City, TX and Heather and Steve Bell of McKinney, TX; step grandchildren, Derek Montgomery of Dallas, TX and Mark Montgomery of Royce City, TX; great grandchildren, Matthew Montgomery and Madeline Montgomery, both of Royce City, TX, and Ashleigh Bell of McKinney, TX; and several nieces and nephews. Sumter County survivors include members of the Scott family. Hancock Funeral Home, 427 South Lee Street, Americus, GA, is in charge of arrangements.