William Ross "Bill" Montague, 85, of Columbia died Tuesday, May 20, 2014. Born August 18, 1928 in Lowrys, SC, he was the son of the late Wayland P. and Donna McAliley Montague. A US Army veteran, Mr. Montague was a graduate of Chester High School and Furman University. He retired from the SC Department of Mental Health, and was an active member of Eau Claire Baptist Church where he had been a member since July 10, 1955. He served as a deacon for many years, and often as the chairman of the deacons. He taught Sunday School, worked with youth and children, taught Vacation Bible School, and served as President of the senior citizen group Xtra Years of Zest (XYZ). "Mr. Bill" also served as the Royal Ambassador Director at Eau Claire for almost 60 years. He was well known in the Columbia Metro Baptist Association and throughout the South Carolina Baptist Convention as "Mr. R.A.'s". Royal Ambassadors is the Southern Baptist program that teaches young men from 6 years of age to high school seniors how to live a Christian life. Through his work as a Royal Ambassador leader, he touched the lives of hundreds of men, their sons and grandsons; men from all walks of life and all races and origins. In touching those lives, he also influenced programs throughout the world as those men grew and shared their experiences of Bill's love for them through his love for Christ. On June, 2005, Cabin #7 at Camp McCall was named the Bill Montague Cabin in honor of his 50 years as an RA leader and 40 years as an RA camp counselor.

Bill is survived by his cousins, Bill Hughes, Patricia Ann Anderson, and Mary Margaret Hughes.

A funeral service for Mr. Montague will be held 12 o'clock, Friday, May 23, 2014, at Eau Claire Baptist Church, with The Rev. James A. Goudelock officiating. Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be held at the church beginning 11 o'clock. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Eau Claire Baptist Church, 4427 North Main St., Columbia, SC, 29203.