Richard D. Montgomery

Richard D. Montgomery, or Dick as he often went by, was born on September 13, 1937, in Morristown, NJ, the 2nd of three children of the Reverend David K. Montgomery and Virginia Harris Montgomery. The son of an Episcopal priest, he lived in a number of different places as a child before he shipped off to get a prep and military education at the Manlius School (Manlius, NY). There he perpetuated a family tradition with his father attending before him and his brother, George, after him. He was active in a number of pursuits, including the football team. He later attended and graduated from the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) and went on to receive Masters degrees from the University of Minnesota (Education) and Columbia University, NYC, (Hospital Administration).

His first career position was as an assistant camp & recreation director at Camp Courage, part of the Minnesota Society for Crippled Children. It was in Minnesota that he met his wife, Judy Young, who was the camp nurse. This was followed by his role as Director of Christ Church Camp in Cincinnati, which was affiliated with the Episcopal cathedral in that same city. During their four years in Cincinnati, he and Judy had three kids: Gordon, David and Kimberly. He transitioned from being a camp director to hospital administration and a career of leadership positions at a number of Massachusetts hospitals, including Lawrence General Hospital, Lynn Hospital and North Adams Regional Hospital where he served as CEO. Later in his career he also held various administrative roles at organizations including Amherst College, the United Way and the Boston Episcopal Charitable Society, among others.

Outside of work, his passions included activities with his family, church and community. He was a youth sports coach for many of his kids’ teams and was an avid fan of all of their different pursuits. He served in a variety of positions across many Episcopal parishes, especially at St. John’s in Williamstown, MA and Trinity Church in Boston. At Trinity, he was also a proud member of the usher ranks and an active participant in its stewardship efforts. Throughout his life he always maintained a special connection to Squam Lake in New Hampshire and the broader family enclave that remains there, teaching all of his immediate family a special appreciation of its natural beauty and the ongoing care it requires. He always loved family dogs, including Sparky, and any dogs he would encounter. He was a diehard fan of the Red Sox, and especially his beloved Patriots. For him, the Pats were an adopted family and he served as a loyal supporter of their efforts with ever-present enthusiasm through lesser times (the 70s and 80s) and the more recent glory days.

He leaves behind his former wife, Judy Beiring, his three children, Gordon, David and Kimberly, his two daughter-in-laws, Claudia and Carrie, his six grandchildren, Matilda, Calvin, Jack, Ethan, Brooke and Oliver, and his brother, George. His sister, Virginia (Molly) Montgomery passed away last year.

A funeral service will take place on Saturday, November 17, at 830am, at Trinity Church on Copley Square, with a simple reception at the church to follow.

In lieu of flowers, anyone desiring to leave something in his name might consider a donation to the Trinity Church Boston clergy discretionary fund, with a notation re: Richard Montgomery – Local Hunger Relief. This can be done via https://www.trinitychurchboston.org/ or by mail to Trinity Church, 206 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116.