Clinton Herschel Montgomery

Clinton Herschel Montgomery August 22, 1925 January 10, 2014 Clinton Montgomery of Waco died January 10, 2014. Memorial Service will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 18, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey, with Rev. Alec Ylitalo and Rev. David Story officiating. Visitation will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 18 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey. Clinton was born August 22, 1925, near Athens, Texas, to Clint and Lena Sisk Montgomery. They moved to Waco in 1940, and Clint graduated from Waco High School in 1942. He joined the U. S. Navy in 1943, serving in the Seabees, then 18 months of Officer Training at University of the South, Sewanee, TN, and Duke University at Durham, NC, followed by a year with a Motor Torpedo Boat PT Squadron. Upon discharge from active duty in 1946, he remained in the Naval Reserve where he was commissioned an Ensign, then promoted to LT JG, serving as an instructor for five years. He received an LLB degree from Baylor Law School and was licensed to practice law in 1950; was also licensed to practice in the U. S. District Courts for the Southern & Western Districts of Texas. He received his Juris Doctor Degree from Baylor in 1969, and was a member of the Texas State Bar and the Waco-McLennan County Bar Associations. After 15 years in the legal departments of casualty insurance companies and five years of private practice, Clinton joined the staff of Regional Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs, Waco. Upon retiring in 1990, he investigated EEO discrimination complaints on a contract basis at VA facilities throughout the United States until 1998. Clinton married Inez Minter Stapp in Houston on September 1, 1961. They have lived in Waco since 1979. He served as an elder at Richfield Christian Church, where both he and Inez served on various committees and were active in other aspects of their church life. He held the rank of Knight in the Order of Knights of Pythias since 1971. Clinton had two sons by a prior marriage, Jerry A. Montgomery and John D. Montgomery, both of whom predeceased him. He was also predeceased by his parents; one brother, Don Montgomery; one sister, Phila Vestal; parents-in-law, Alfred and Clara Minter, and one brother-in-law, Dean Minter. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Clara Inez; two daughters: Randie Johnson and husband, Bruce, and Ann Batterson; grandchildren Dana Sylvester, Kelley Hengst, Stacy Batterson and wife, Margaret, Dallas Batterson and Mauricio Barreto, Ashley Montgomery and Sasha, Justin Montgomery and Leah. Great-grands: Chase Sylvester, Isabella Batterson and Dominic Montgomery; two sisters, Betty Huff and husband, Bruce, and Martha Dunphy; one brother, Grady Montgomery and wife, Lisa. Two sisters-in-law, Wanda Yates and Edna Minter-Bush and husband, Ron; and many nieces and nephews. \In lieu of flowers; memorials may be made to Richfield Christian Church or the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.