John Ward Montgomery

MONTGOMERY John Ward Montgomery, age 79 of Fairfield, passed away peacefully at Cambridge Manor after a lengthy battle with Alzheimers. He was the son of the late Ward and Marion (Gaffney) Montgomery. He is survived by his devoted wife of more than 50 years, Joan Hogan Montgomery. Survivors also include one son, Mark W. Montgomery of Fairfield; six daughters and son in laws, Mary-Pat and Todd Burr of Fairfield, Maureen and Bob McMenamey of Trumbull, Margo and Richard Sheldon of Huntington, Kathryn and Christopher Parisi of Fairfield, Krissy and Tom Spisak of Fairfield, and Rebecca and Jay Pittorino of Westborough, Mass. He was the loving grandfather of 19 grandchildren, Alex, Tyler and Sydney Burr, Brenna, Colin, and Patrick McMenamey, MacKinnon, Maeve and Benjamin Sheldon, Olivia, Abigail, Eliza and Ethan Parisi, Samantha, Molly, and Matthew Spisak and Derek, Jane and Henry Pittorino. He is also survived by a host of other dear family and friends. Born on October 19, 1930, he grew up in Mechanicville, N.Y. where he graduated from Mechanicville High School. He received a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y. in 1955. He graduated with 2nd highest honors in his engineering class and was president of his fraternity, Phi Sigma Kappa. To pay for college, Ward began working for Westvaco in Mechanicville and continued there after graduation and ending there as the supervisor of the Electrical and Instrumental Department. He joined Dorr-Oliver in Stamford, as an Instrument Engineer and moved his family to Connecticut. Through his job, he traveled all over the world, Australia, Morocco, London, Paris, Canada and Alaska. Ward served in the Naval Reserve. Ward was an Eagle Scout, obtaining the highest award in Scouting, the Order of the Arrow and the Silver Beaver. He continued his love of scouting serving as Scout Master of Troop 89 for more than 20 years. A parishioner of St. Emery's Church for many years, he was a member of the Holy Name Society and was active with the church youth group. He was also the president of the Parents Club at Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, June 4th at 10 a.m. at St. Emery's Church, Kings Highway, Fairfield. Interment will follow in the Oak Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 3rd from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Rd, Fairfield, In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either St. Emery's Church or Yale ADRU, 1 Church St., Suite 600, New Haven, CT 06510. The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff at Cambridge Manor for their dedication and service to Ward and his family, especially the staff on the Chelsea Unit and Eunice and Irene. For information or to sign an online guest register please visit www.SpearMillerFuneralHome.com