James S. Montgomery Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

James Sylvester Montgomery, 81, died at Bothwell Regional Hospital Sedalia, Mo. on July 13, 2022. Memorial services will be held Saturday July 23rd at 1pm at the Event Center located at 401 N. Osage. Sedalia, Mo. Repast to follow at the same location. Services will be live streamed at 1:00 PM through the HT May & Son Funeral Home Facebook page and can be found at https://www.facebook.com/htmayfuneralhome. James was born April 24, 1941, son of Charles and Dorothy Harris Montgomery here in Sedalia, Mo. He attended the Catholic School here in Sedalia and then he attended school in St. Louis Mo. James returned to Sedalia and finished his school years at C.C. Hubbard School here in Sedalia. While attending school he worked 8-hour night shifts at Swift Turkey plant here in Sedalia. After graduating he joined the US Navy in 1960. He was in the Navy for four years serving on Nuclear Submarines. After his 4-year tour in the Navy he held other jobs here in Sedalia. He was employed by the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline from 1971 - 1996, Sedalia Police Department, and Homakers Furniture Store, H.T. May & Son Funeral Home and was very handy with home repairs for the Sedalia area. He also worked in transportation for the Pettis County Public Administrator's office and worked for the Maplewood School in the maintenance department. James was a member of the Centennial Lodge #59 here in Sedalia where he held several offices starting at the bottom and working his way to the top as a Master Mason. He LOVED fishing very much. He took his grandsons with him when they were little. His fishing time came to a point where he could not go alone and that truly hurt him a lot. But THANKS to Gordon Poindexter and Rodney Dogan (his nephew who came every year to go fishing with him and did all the work.) THANKS Rodney. He was able to still enjoy his love of fishing. He was devoted to his partner Sheila McCray for 21 years. They did a little traveling including a cruise to the Bahamas with other couples. People were leary of James, but once they got to know him, they found out he was just an ordinary guy that didn't take no stuff. Thank you to ALL that sat on the porch and talked with him, he LOVED that. R.J. and Gordy were the ones that were here the most, but we also say thanks to Cye Casey and the late Morrece Poindexter. He leaves to mourn his passing his companion of 21 years Sheila McCray, his 2 daughters Lasonja (Edward) Richardson of Douglasville, Georgia, Nicole Evans of St. Paul Minnesota, his son Kent Cline of Columbia, Mo. his brothers Charles Rainey, CA., Keith Montgomery and Jesse Moye, St. Louis Mo., sisters Evette Dumas, Coraletha Thomas (Keith), Donna Montgomery, And Arlene Montgomery all of St. Louis, Mo. one aunt Janice Beets, Iowa, six grandchildren, James (Maria), Edward Jr., Thomas (April), Nawab (Alicia), Barbara (John) and Malek, a host of great grandchildren, cousins, and friends among which are Victor, Curtis, Doug and Byron which he looked upon as sons for the past 21 years. He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, and grandparents, James Harris and Vergie Stewart, a grandson Kent Cline II, and an aunt Barbara Taylor.

James S. Montgomery

April 24, 1941 - July 13, 2022