Patricia Montgomery

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 15, 1936

Departed on November 27, 2019 and resided in Nashville, Tennessee

Pat, as friends and family would know her, was born Patricia Michelle Garner on June 15, 1936, to Vivian and Robert Garner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After her parent's divorce, Pat was sent to Wilson, North Carolina, raised under the loving care of her beloved grandmother, Lydia Grissom.

Her bright and inquisitive mind flourished in Wilson, where her grandmother, aunt and uncle put their professional training as teachers to good use, fostering in her a love for science, literature and the arts. The little girl with the pigtails was popular and had many friends and a supportive family that enjoyed her sunny disposition and quick wit.

Tragedy struck when she was 10, when her grandmother died, having been denied treatment at the local Wilson hospital because of her race, on the long trip to a Durham hospital, many miles away. This started a lifelong interest in social justice and politics..interests that she took to heart her entire life.

Pat joined her mother and took up residence in Chicago IL. She entered the Catholic school system, and graduated from St Elizabeth High School with honors, winning a scholarship to Detroit Mercy College from her win in a drama competition sponsored by the prestigious Goodman Theatre. Her love for opera, theatre and literature was built at St. Elizabeth, as was her strong and beautiful coloratura-style soprano voice, making her a much-requested operatic soloist for High Mass. Her "Ave Maria" was a staple of Christmas Mass at the Cathedral in Chicago.

A brief marriage to high school sweetheart and jazz beat poet David Moore produced 2 children; a son who died soon after birth, and daughter Debra Lynn Moore. Her mastery of the Chicago ballroom style called "Chicago Step" lasted for decades, and on her last trip to Chicago in the 90's, she showed the entire nightclub crowd of dancers how it was done.

Her second marriage to Chicago socialite, artist and jazz trumpeter Robert Mayberry took her to his family hometown, Nashville TN, and brought her two precious sons; first Darrell (noted sports statistician and enthusiast ) and, then Kenneth Mayberry. Tragedy struck again when Bobby died suddenly, and she was widowed with 3 children to raise.

She took herself to nursing school, obtaining high marks and a degree, which led to her most enjoyable post in the Nursery at Baptist Hospital. She was an intelligent and dedicated nurse; her colleagues and patients loved her cheerful, no nonsense disposition and approach to her profession.

Her lifetime dream of owning a home and having a family were realized soon thereafter.

She met the love of her life, Charlotte NC native Louis Richard Montgomery, 46 years ago, delighted to find a man of substance, strength, artistic sensibilities and intellectual curiosity to match her own. To this union, the gift of her youngest child, artist and musician Dawn Marie Montgomery, came; easing the prior loss of her youngest son, Kenneth, at age 11, in a tragic accident.

As a mom, Pat gave us a lasting love of reading, literature, the arts, science, the cosmos, logical thinking, the joy of accomplishment of tasks, and the art of being well-dressed and prepared for anything. An ardent and passionate defender of her family, she nonetheless encouraged independence and self-reliance in us, while always lending a willing ear and soft heart to any joy or pain life brought. She herself had a tough early life, but she taught us to stand and fight and not to sit and suffer.

Pat was our resident genius and electronics expert for many years. She was an expert astronomer, astrologist, and simulation pilot (an aviation expert), as well as an innovative seamstress, home chef and interior decorator. On a birthday, she'd make your favorite meal: Her homemade New York cheesecake, the request of Dawn for her birthday, was legendary.

She turned the Metropolitan Opera on during our Saturday morning housecleaning tasks while we were growing up, building a lifelong attitude of pride in doing any job well, no matter the size...whistle while you work was her motto, and you would find the job quickly done.

She was an indefatigable home decorator...coming home from school, we would find the furniture rearranged almost weekly..she definitely was a fan of a fresh perspective.

Among her many talents was the gift of a remarkable sense of humor and storytelling, which carried our family through many tough times.

In October of 2000, she added another glorious role - that of much-beloved grandmother to Vivian Winfrey. In Detroit, awaiting Vivian's precarious arrival, she was the support, experience and comfort a first time, high risk mom really needed. Pat was the first to hold infant Vivian, a bond shared between them that only strengthened over time. Vivian spent summers in Nashville for years, spurring an interest in Vivian of Astrophysics, a field of study she is currently pursuing as a freshman at AAMU. This accomplishment gave Pat great joy, as it was a justification of her own influence on Vivian and her decision to study hard science.

It was also her delight to become a mother (no in-laws with Pat, please) to the two men that her daughters married; first William Winfrey to Debra, and next Dawn to Thomas Fiske. She enjoyed dressing up in African garb for the first, and in formalwear for the second, hugely enjoying her role as mother of the brides.

Saturday always meant dinner at the house on Meadow Hill, when Darrell, Dawn and TT (Thomas) would come and spend time with the woman who was always interested in you and your life and always ready for spirited political debate. And, if you were lucky, she'd share a viewing of a sci-fi movie she'd discovered. She was ever a fan of science fiction, as well as the real science of all things unexplained in the universe. She inherited the gift of second sight from her mother and elders, and, as a result, tragic news never came as a surprise to her.

Diagnosed with life threatening heart disease over a decade ago, Pat made sure that we would all be prepared for a transition that would come swiftly and without warning.

Left to mourn her passing and treasure her memory are her loving and devoted husband, Louis Richard Montgomery: Her daughter Debra Lynn Moore Winfrey (William); her son Darrell Mayberry; her daughter Dawn Marie Montgomery Fiske (Thomas); and her granddaughter Vivian Asali Winfrey.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to The American Heart Association. 7272 Greenville Avenue; Dallas, TX 75231-4596, 1 (800) 242-8721.