Marjorie June Crow Montgomery was born on January 11, 1924 and died on June 25, 2016. Marjorie, as she is known to her friends and family, was born in Statesville, N.C., the eldest daughter of Artie Estelle Wagner of Hickory, N.C. and Charles Talley Crow of Central, S.C. She spent her childhood in North Carolina and Virginia before moving to Rock Hill, S.C. in the 1940's where she finished Rock Hill High School. She then attended the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. where she studied English and Art. Marjorie was an accomplished portrait painter and loved to write prose and poetry. She travelled extensively and spent a life-time collecting antiques.
In 1944, Marjorie accepted employment with the Southern Bell Telephone Company where she worked in a variety of increasingly managerial positions until her retirement in 1979. Following her initial retirement, Marjorie worked for the United Way's Family Service Center as secretary to the executive director. After a short tenure there, she accepted a post in the S.C. State Department of Mental Health and then transferred to the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation as an administrator of the Licensing Board for Professional Counselors, and Marriage and Family Therapists until her final retirement in 2000.
Marjorie married Jack Gilbert Montgomery of Camden, S.C. (now deceased) on October 11, 1947 and was divorced from him in 1972. They had one child, born in 1953, who is named for his father.
Always civically minded, Mrs. Montgomery served in a variety of positions in organizations like the Easter Seal Society, Telephone Pioneers of America, The S.C. Federation of Older Americans and the Beta Sigma Phi professional women's sorority where she served as Iota chapter president and was awarded "Girl of the Year" in 1959. Marjorie had been a member of Main Street UMC since 1947 where she taught Sunday school for over 60 years as well as serving on many committees within the church's administration.
Mrs. Montgomery is preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Rachel Emily Crow Martin. She is survived by her son, Jack G. Montgomery Jr. and his wife, Lesley L.R. Montgomery of Bowling Green, KY; two nieces, Maria Anderson and her husband, The Rev. David Anderson of Columbia, as well as Lucinda Austin and her husband, Gene Austin of Asheville, N.C.; great-nieces, Emily Catoe, her husband, Bryan, and their children, Rachel and Lilly of Camden, as well as Rachel Austin and Sarah Austin of Columbia and Asheville; and by her cousins Murphy Whisnant and T.D. Burns of Charlotte, N.C.
A memorial service will be held 6 PM, Friday, July 1st, at Main Street United Methodist Church, Ferguson Chapel, in Columbia. Family will receive guests at the church following the service. Mrs. Montgomery's cremated remains will be taken to his home by her son. Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, is assisting the family.
Memorials may be made to Main St. United Methodist Church, 1830 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201.