CURTIS MONTGOMERY

Bishop Curtis Edward Montgomery On Tuesday morning, April 28, 2015, Bishop Curtis Edward Montgomery peacefully transitioned into Eternity at the age of 82 with his wife of 62 years, Dr. Elinor E. Montgomery, at his side. Bishop Montgomery was born on December 27, 1932 in Selma, Alabama, the only child of Henry Enoch & Ethel Lean Montgomery. The Montgomerys lived in Beatrice and then Mobile, Alabama until 1943 when Henry joined the Navy during World War II. Ethel and her young son then moved to Detroit, MI to be with her parents. Upon finishing his tour in 1945, Henry moved to Detroit to be with his family where they lived until 1946 before relocating to Chicago, IL. In 1948, he met Elinor Miles at Englewood High School in Chicago and after a multi-year courtship Curtis and Elinor were married on September 13, 1952. On September 16, 1953, only two weeks after the birth of their first child, Debbie, Curtis was notified that he had been drafted into the United States Army during in the Korean War. Curtis faithfully served his country for two years and would eventually end his tour at Fort Lewis, WA in 1955. At the completion of his service, they decided to remain in the Pacific Northwest. After serving with Bishop B.T. Moore at Bethel Christian Church in Seattle for four years, in July of 1959, he established Christ Temple Church as its Founding Pastor. He was responsible for establishing many ministries within Greater Christ Temple Church, the church name since the current building was constructed in 1977, and several churches have been established out of this ministry around the United States. Throughout his time as a young minister, he studied at The University of Washington and then Northwest Bible College. In 1988, he received his Doctorate of Divinity Degree from the Aenon Bible College in Indianapolis, IN. In 1994, Curtis was elevated to the position of Diocesan Bishop of the Pacific Northwest District Council (PNDC), the 17th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. He officially retired after 50 years as pastor of Greater Christ Temple in 2009 but remained Bishop of the PNDC and served in this capacity until August of 2014 when he moved to an Emeritus status. Preceding him in death are his parents, Henry and Ethel Lean Montgomery; and two sons, David Henri Montgomery and Phillip Curtis Montgomery. Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Dr. Elinor Montgomery; five sons: Michael Curtis Montgomery, Daniel Edward (Cheryl) Montgomery, Stephen Kent Montgomery, John Edwin (Tiffany) Montgomery and Enoch Paul Montgomery; and three daughters: Debra Elayne Griffin, Sharon Montgomery Parchia, and Lynnda Ruth Escalante. He also leaves twenty-two grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren, a daughter-in-love, Arclancia Montgomery, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, spiritual sons and daughters, friends, colleagues and loved ones. A Celebration of Bishop Curtis Montgomery's life will begin Wednesday, May 6th with a viewing from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Greater Christ Temple Church; 1926 South "G" Street; Tacoma. An Ecumenical Celebration Service will be held Wednesday, May 6th at 7:00 PM at the Oasis of Hope Center; 1937 South "G" St.; Tacoma, WA. A Public Celebration Service will be held Thursday, May 7th at 12:00 PM at Life Center Tacoma Assembly of God Church; 1717 South Union Ave.; Tacoma, WA. The Thursday Celebration service will stream live at livestream.lifecentertacoma.com/