Cecil Clair Montgomery

Cecil 'Clair' Montgomery, beloved husband, Daddy, Grandpa, and Grandpa Great/GG-Pa-peacefully passed away at 95 years old on June 21, 2024, in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Clair was born on May 14, 1929, in the front bedroom of his family home in McMinnville, Oregon, to Cecil Cozad Montgomery and Catherine Mary Lownds. At close to 11 pounds and 29 inches long he was a shock to his mother. She had expected a dainty little girl and spent her pregnancy crocheting pink booties and other frilly things. His brother Marvin joined him when he was three years old.
At a young age, Clair developed a love for sports. He made varsity as a freshman, and he enjoyed sharing stories of his great feats on the basketball court. One of the grandchildren's favorites was the time during a pivotal game where he went coast to coast with the basketball. He also lettered in baseball as a left-handed pitcher. He didn't really like football, but the coach coerced him into playing. During his junior year, McMinnville played Oregon City. He was experiencing painful leg cramps and asked to sit out. The coach refused his request and the frustrated Clair then made 16 tackles and a punt. For that he was named Player of the Week in Oregon. As the star center of the basketball team, he would go on to graduate from McMinnville High School in 1947.
Recognized for his athletic talent, Clair played football for Linfield College and, as a walk-on, he received a basketball scholarship to play for the University of Portland where he studied Accounting. A knee injury ended those college plans. However, a nurse who took care of him during his knee operations quickly caught Clair's attention. He asked for her number, which she wrote on his cast. The pair quickly fell in love, and he married that nurse, his sweetheart Cleo, when they eloped to Washington State in 1949.
Clair was drafted in 1952 and knew after his first day in the Army that that was not his career path. When he was discharged, Clair decided to go back to college. He graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Education in 1957. Clair's first job as an educator took him to Garden Grove, California, where he taught elementary school. He later returned to Oregon to live closer to family. Here, Clair became a well-known educator at Waluga Junior High School in Lake Oswego. He taught math, science, and driver's education and coached several sports.
Clair had a keen sense of humor and a song for every situation, whether it was for his daughters, students, grandchildren, or caregivers. He would tell a joke or joyfully sing a tune to brighten anyone's day. Some of his favorite things were the Oregon State Beavers, the Portland Trail Blazers, visiting the Oregon coast, the family cabin in Breitenbush, picnics, elephants, and chocolate in just about any form!
In addition to Clair's service to his country, family, and hundreds of students, he had an abiding love for his Savior Jesus Christ. Clair and his family were sealed together in the Idaho Falls temple in 1976. Clair served in many church callings. He especially loved teaching Primary and sang his heart out during singing time. He enjoyed being a service missionary with his companion Cleo.
Most of all Clair loved his family and would travel great distances to be with them.
Clair was preceded in death by his wife Cleo Calder; parents Cecil Montgomery and Catherine Lownds; brother Marvin Montgomery; son-in-law Michael Fitzgerald; and great-grandson Malakai Tui'fua. He is survived by his three daughters Cynthia (Dan) Stout, Colette (Cory) Barker, and Cristi Fitzgerald; 14 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren, two of whom are serving missions in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and his sister-in-law Marcella Montgomery.
His family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Clair's second family at Ivy Court as well as Providence Hospice, who have given him such loving care these past few years.
We will be celebrating Clair's life with a memorial luncheon on Tuesday, July 9, at 2:30 PM, at the LDS Chapel located at 1395 Rosemont Road, West Linn, Oregon.