Helen was born August 19, 1943 in Jacksonville, FL to William T. S. Montgomery and Irene Colyer Montgomery, the third of three children and the only girl. She began playing piano at the age of three, when her father gave her mother an upright piano for Christmas for her mother to learn to play. Her father put her on a local radio program, “Crusader Kids,” sponsored by Wright Brothers Paper Company, for school age children when Helen was too young to be a contestant—4 days before her fourth birthday, playing “Clementine” and “Happy Birthday,” harmonizing the melody with 3-note chords in the left hand. She began studying officially at 7 with Sue Mullins at the local preparatory division of the Jacksonville College of Music. She graduated from St. Johns Country Day School in Orange Park in 1961, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and a Master of Music degree from Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. Her “concert career” ended before it began with two unsuccessful entries in international competitions. She moved down to Orlando, and taught at the Creative Arts division of Rollins, where she was exposed to the Robert Pace method, and began to explore her creativity, which she put to use at the churches she played for. In 1971 she met and married Everett Leslie Farnsworth, III (“Lee”) of Winter Garden, Florida. She taught piano at home for many years, and played not only for churches, but also for musicals at Lakeview Junior High, West Orange High, and Dillard Elementary. Helen had a deep love for her family and was always quick with a birthday card and a call to chat. She was blessed to have seen much of the world at a young age. She loved to travel and historical event destinations marked some of her favorite trips but the beach would always do in a pinch. She was an endless source of musical and historic information and could not be separated from her smart phone. The musical knowledge and prowess she possessed was unequalled, and filled the hearts and souls of thousands of people who had the pleasure of hearing her play. It should be noted one of Helens proudest achievements was her family’s Jacksonville business that spawned a love for everything HOG related. There is also probably no charitable organization that she has not donated to in her time. She will be deeply missed for the impact she had on her family, her friends, her community, the church she loved and sometimes lived at (it seemed), and all the musical students she had over the years. Helen would like everyone to know that she had a great life and was ready to meet her Lord and Savior and see all her friends and family who have gone before her.
Helen is predeceased by her husband Lee and oldest brother WTS Montgomery, Jr. She is survived by her older brother Robert Montgomery, Sr., her sisters-in-law Susan Farnsworth, and Hazel Montgomery; her nephews WTS Montgomery, III, Robert Montgomery, Jr. (Carla), Jonathan Montgomery (Dawn), and Doug Mathews (Kathryn); and nieces Virginia Vorsanger (Bruce), Patten Moore (Henry), Marianne Hofheimer (Andy), and Alison Bartz (John); her grandnephews Jason Hecht (Jacqueline), Colin Montgomery (Peyton), Andrew Hofheimer (Kirsten), John Bartz (Cynthia), David Bartz (Tracey), Michael Bartz, WTS Montgomery, IV, and Jackson Montgomery; her grandnieces Stacie Hecht, Colyer Montgomery, Patricia Montgomery, Lane Montgomery, Tilly Mathews, Tyler Mathews, Sarah Friedman, Mary Boney, Virginia Boney, Frances Boney, Alison Sausaman (Kent); her great grandnephews Colt Hecht, James Hofheimer, and Jackson Bartz; and her great grandnieces AubrieHazel Hecht, Millie Hofheimer, and Hazel Sausaman.
Her large and loving family lives in Winter Garden, FL, Jacksonville, FL, Atlanta, GA, Cedar Mountain, NC, London, England, Mobile, AL, and Auburn, AL.
Funeral services will be held at Church of the Messiah February10 at 11am at church of the Messiah located at 241 N Main st Winter Garden And Helen requested that bright cheerful colors be worn to her service and that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the Church of the Messiah.
