Wynona Marie Montgomery

Wynona was born in Baytown on July 2, 1947, to Ercil and Alawanna Montgomery. She graduated from Barbers Hill High School in 1965 as the valedictorian of her class and then went on to Lee College and Lamar University to earn a bachelor’s degree in education. She then earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at the University of Houston. She began teaching elementary school in 1968, and her career took her to various schools in the Goose Creek CISD. She later served as the principal of Carver Elementary and then Crockett Elementary, and she finally retired in the early nineties after 35 years of education service.

She was a member of the Phi Delta Kappa professional association of educators as well as Gamma Nu, a local chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma organization. Following her retirement, she became active in the Baytown Area Retired School Employees Association, a chapter of the Texas Retired Teachers Association.

Wynona’s faith was the driving force in her life. She was a longtime member of the Baytown Church of Christ, formerly Seventh Street Church of Christ, where she formed close relationships with generations of families who took amazing care of her in her later years. She was especially known among the children for always having Tic Tacs to share.

After educating children, her biggest passion in life was traveling, and she saw much of the world, including Germany (a favorite), Singapore, China, Japan, Canada, Austria, Denmark, Iceland, and many more. She made many trips with a group from Lee College that planned the trips and gave her built-in travel companions, including her best friend, Kay Hill.

As a sixth-generation Chambers County resident, she had deep roots in the area and was proud of her heritage. Wynona and her family are descendants of the Dugat and Williams families who settled in the area in the 1800s. Wynona loved arranging family reunions and get-togethers in her great effort to keep everyone connected, and she was known for giving some of the best birthday and Christmas gifts.

Wynona was also an eager and active volunteer for various nonprofits. In fact, she seemed to become busier after she retired! She was a proud, active member of the West Chambers County Pilots Club; she regularly worked with and coordinated the local Relay for Life events; and she devoted much of her time to the Women’s Storybook Project of Texas, a nonprofit that goes to incarcerated mothers and records them reading storybooks for their children. She also briefly served as the mayor of Cove to fill out an incomplete term.

The family extends its extensive gratitude to the staff at the Lodge at Pine Creek in Baytown. They made her final years safe and as fulfilling as they could be.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ercil and Alawanna Montgomery; brother-in-law, John Britt; niece-in-law Kristen Corder Fagala; and nephew, Matthew Montgomery Fagala. She is survived by her sister, Donna Montgomery Britt-Clark, and husband Jimmy Clark; her nephew, Paul Fagala, and his children: Amberlyn Johnson and husband Adam Johnson, Joshua Fagala and wife Madison Fagala, and Ashton, Luke, Chase, Kathryn, and Annalise Fagala; her niece Tess Roach and husband Patrick Roach and their children, Ana and Addyson Roach; and her niece Paige Welborn and her children, Ayden and Caleb Welborn.

A graveside service for family and close friends will be held at Cedarcrest Cemetery on October 24 at 9:00 a.m. Visitation will be held at the Navarre Funeral Home on October 24 at 10:00 a.m, with a service to follow at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the West Chambers County Pilot Club (by mail at PO Box 1032, Mont Belvieu, TX 77580) or the Women’s Storybook Project (online at https://storybookproject.org/donate-now/).