Alvin Montgomery

WASHINGTON...Alvin W. Montgomery, 83, passed away at 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Alvin was born on October 22, 1928 in Hillsboro, IL to Purcie and Ruth Friesland Montgomery. He married Beulah Rae Smith in Washington on November 12, 1949. Beulah died on July 21, 2005 in Eureka. Among those surviving is one son, Robert (and Allison) of Peoria; two daughters, Mary (and Steve) Johnson of Bloomington and Susan (and Bob) Kinsinger of Riverside, Iowa; one brother, Dale (and Karen) Montgomery of LaCrosse, WI; four grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Alvin had retired from Caterpillar after more than 35 years where he had worked as an engineer primarily at the Mossville facility. He also had been a farmer on the North side of Washington. He was a veteran having served in the Army in Japan during the Korean War. Alvin was a graduate of Washington Community High School, in the class of 1947. As a youth, Alvin especially enjoyed basketball playing under Coach Sherwood Dees when they won the State Heavyweight Title in 1943 for Washington Grade School. At WaCoHi he continued to play basketball under Roy Romani and his senior year was awarded the Robert Newman Sportsmanship Plaque. Alvin had served on the Pleasant View School Board from 1961-1967, the Washington High School Board from 1967-1973 and on the board of directors for Exposition Gardens from 1965-1989. He had served as President of Exposition Gardens from 1988-89 and also had served as Treasurer of the Pleasant View Park Board. Alvin also had been a member of the Central States Pony Association. He was also a member of Taylor Lodge 98 F&AM, Scottish Rite Valley of Peoria and Mohammed Temple Shrine. Alvin was a lifetime member of Crossroads United Methodist Church and was instrumental in establishing a Boy Scout Troop in 1949 sponsored by the church. Funeral services for Alvin will be on Friday, May 25 at Crossroads United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. with Pastor Tom Goodell officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church and also from 10 to 10:45 prior to the service on Friday. Burial will follow in Hillcrest Memory Gardens, south of Washington. Mason-White Funeral Home is assisting the family in arrangements. Memorials may be directed to Crossroads United Methodist Church.