Saturday, June 20th, 2015
Donald Montgomery
Donald West Montgomery will be remembered as a man who lived his life with vigor, drive, and conviction. Whether it was leading The Celina Insurance Group, competing in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, or helping form a local college, Don followed big dreams and pursued excellence.
Donald West Montgomery, 89 of Celina, Ohio died at 11:20 P.M. on June 16, 2015, in Camarillo, California. He was born on August 14, 1925, in a frame house on North Main Street, Celina, to Chad and Mable Montgomery. Don was named after his paternal grandfather, West Montgomery, a beloved country doctor.
Surviving are his wife Mary (Mickey) Catherine and children William (Suzanne), Celina, Ohio; Betsy (Monty) Combs, Speedway, Indiana; Tom (Julie) Woodbridge, Virginia; Nancy (Jack) Goldberg, Kirkland, Washington; and Chadd Montgomery, Alexandria, Virginia as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Preceding Don in death was his sister Ann.
He graduated from Celina High School in 1943 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Don served from 1943 to 1946 in the Pacific Theater and earned the rank of Lieutenant (jg). During this time, he served on an aircraft carrier until the end of the war. Upon returning from duty, Don obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University in 1947 and Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School in 1950.
One of Don's first professional positions was Assistant Attorney General for the State of Ohio in 1951. He then returned to Mercer County where he served as the county's Prosecuting Attorney from 1953 through 1956. Don partnered with Henry Knapke in 1953, and the pair formed the law firm Knapke and Montgomery.
In 1953, Montgomery formally joined Celina Insurance Group as Corporate Counsel, beginning a career in which he played a leadership role longer than any of the company's four presidents. After serving as Corporate Counsel, he was named Executive Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel. In 1963, he became the President and General Manager, representing the third generation to lead the company founded in 1914 by his uncle, E.J. Brookhart.
Don was an Eagle Scout, a four-year college football player, and a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was also a member of the Young Presidents' Organization, the Ohio and Mercer County Bar Associations, the Celina Masonic Lodge #241, the Antioch Shrine in Dayton, Ohio, and the American Legion Post 210 of Celina, Ohio. Don was the past President of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and a Charter Member of the Executive Order of Ohio Commodores, made possible through appointment by Ohio's Governor James A. Rhodes. This recognition is considered Ohio's "most distinguished honor." In addition, Don was named Citizen of the Year by the Celina-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce in 1974.
Montgomery was a civic leader. He was instrumental in the creation of a local college (Western Ohio College, which later became the Lake Campus of Wright State University), the Auglaize-Mercer County YMCA, the Mercer County Civic Foundation, the Celina Medical Center, and The Grand Lake Regional Cancer Center.
Along the way, Montgomery tackled recreational activities with the same drive and determination as his professional career, twice competing in Alaska's grueling 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Don is a member of the Mushers' Hall of Fame.
Don also distinguished himself as a horseman. He was a certified riding instructor and developed a new breed of horse: the American Performance Horse. The new breed was large, but agile and graceful enough for hunting, jumping, and dressage.
Services are at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, June 29, at St Paul's United Methodist Church in Celina, Ohio. Burial will follow at North Grove Cemetery with Military Rites for family only. Calling is from 3:00-6:00 P.M. on Sunday, June 28, 2015, at the Lehman-Dzendzel Funeral Home in Celina, Ohio and at the church one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Mercer County Civic Foundation in care of the C.M. and Mable Montgomery Scholarship Loan Fund or the Montgomery Field Fund. Condolences may be left at the Lehman-Dzendzel Funeral Home in Celina, Ohio.
