Crisandra Faith Montgomery

Crisandra Montgomery, 79, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on April 11th after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She was surrounded by family and died peacefully in the family home in Pasadena, CA. She lived a life dedicated to family, love, and serving her communities.

A dancer, painter, and spiritual scholar, Reverend Crisandra spent over 50 years in Los Angeles, developing a deep connection with seemingly disparate groups. Middle Eastern & Indian dancers and musicians, LGBTQ community members, runaway punk rockers, families in need, and her beloved Astara church will all tell you how much they benefited from time spent with her.

Born Crisandra Faith Montgomery to Mona and William Montgomery on November 7th, 1946, in Louisville, KY. She spent most of her youth in nearby Paducah and Memphis. Much of her time was spent with her grandparents, Leslie Monroe Faith Sr & Mildred McDowell, in the family home across the road from Graceland. Through them, she developed a keen interest in spirituality with a particular fondness for the Astarian Church, a connection she maintained throughout her entire life.

As a young lady, she began a career in restaurant management, first in Memphis but soon relocating to Los Angeles with her young twin daughters, Esther Faith and Diana Ruth. It was here in LA that she connected with the Middle Eastern dance communities and began her career as a professional dancer. As her dancing developed, her interests grew to include Hinduism, Yoga, and Classical Indian dancing, which led to a deep friendship with the famous dancer Bhupesh Guha.

Crisandra headlined at LA clubs such as Ali Babas & The Fez and toured throughout the western US circuit, including stints in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Las Vegas. This was during the heyday of the bellydance craze and saw her performing for international dignitaries, US politicians, and many Hollywood glitterati.

As time passed, painting and martial arts became more of her primary focus. Animal rescue also became a top priority. This quieter period of her life was changed by the birth of her beloved grandbaby, Sylvian. The role of doting grandmother fit her to a T, and she had a very active role in raising her wonderful young man.

In Crisandra's later years, she started her "Food and Things" outreach, distributing literally tons of food to very needy families throughout the Los Angeles and Ontario region. A recipient of multiple community awards, she was recognized for her engagement and concern in helping struggling families and disenfranchised individuals.

Reverend Crisandra is survived by her daughters, Esther and Diana Briscoe; grandson, Sylvian Hemus; son-in-law, Chadwick Hemus; brother, William Virgil Montgomery II; sisters, Holly, Ann, and Erica Montgomery; sister, Betsy Montgomery Textor; sister, Vee McCrory; sister, Mona Page Grace; and sister, Patty Mills .

A memorial service will be held at noon on Wednesday, April 22nd, at Throop Universal Unitarian Church, 300 S. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101. The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral costs and other end-of-life expenses.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-crisandra-montgomerys-memory