Obituary: Everett Dexter "Ed" Montgomery

Everett Dexter “Ed” Montgomery, 84, was born April 29, 1933. His parents were Ollie Ozelle Pitts and Clarence Erskine Montgomery, who preceded him in death.

Everett's military buddies dubbed him “Ed” by his initials, and he was called Ed from there on.

Ed was with the 20th Fighter Bomber Wing in the U.S. Air Force. He served during the Korean War. He was assigned to the Royal Air Force Base, where the Americans were reopening this closed air based in Wethersfield, England, to accommodate air defense during the Russian Cold War. Ed was assigned to munitions, which included caring for a part of the atomic bombs. During his time there, he became a sharpshooter. He also completed high school while in the Air Force.

He was very active in church-related work while in England with military buddies and the local people.

In 1996, Ed and his wife, Jeanell Goff Montgomery, took a journey to England to “walk down memory lane.” Ed got to see five or six people he had met while serving in England from 1951-1955.

After military service, Ed completed his B.S. degree in religious education from Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi. During his last year of college, he and Jeanell married on May 30, 1958. They both completed their B.S. degrees. Then they moved to New Orleans, where Ed got his master's degree from New Orleans Theological Seminary in religious education.

For 10 years, Ed worked as a music/education director in Southern Baptist churches.

In 1968, Ed felt led into the hospital ministry. He completed a B.S. degree in hospital administration from Oklahoma Baptist University in Oklahoma City. He worked at Deaconess Hospital in Oklahoma City for six years, as personnel director one year, and then he was promoted to assistant administrator for the next five years.

The next 14 years he was an assistant hospital administrator for medical services at Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Following this, he spent two years at the Leake County Hospital and Nursing Home in Carthage, Mississippi. This is where he got his start in nursing home work.

He then accepted a position as administrator of the West Orange Manor Nursing Home — now known as Health Central Park in Winter Garden, Florida He began his work in 1990 and retired in 1997.

Following his retirement, he enjoyed doing interim administrative work at several nursing homes until he experienced a stroke. Helping other people was one of Ed's sterling qualities and spiritual gifts.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters and their spouses (Louise Rains, John; Robbie Newel, Charles; Fay Streeter, Forrest); his brother, Clarence, and his wife, Alva Maxie.

Ed had an older brother, Lamar, who was killed by a land mine in Morotai Island in the Southwest Pacific during World War II.

All of the five living children in Ed's family were married more than 50 years.

He is survived by his sons, Brent and his children, Bryce and Alyssa; Stuart, wife Vicki and their sons, Cullen and Carson.

Services will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park in Gotha, Florida.