Jacquelyn ‘Jackie’ Montgomery, 82 / Nov. 12, 1929 — March 12, 2012

Published 11:02 pm Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Jacquelyn ‘Jackie’ Montgomery

Nov. 12, 1929 — March 12, 2012

Montgomery

Jacquelyn “Jackie” Montgomery, 82, of Buchanan, died at 1:47 a.m. Monday, March 12, 2012, at Lakeland Community Hospital, Niles, following a brief illness.

She was born Nov. 12, 1929, in Berrien Springs to Jack and Bessie J. (Neal) Burks. She graduated from Buchanan High School, and has lived in this area all of her life. She was employed for many years at Moccasin Elementary School, Buchanan.

Jackie was a member of the Buchanan Christian Church, and had formerly been active in the local home economics club. She enjoyed completing crossword puzzles, many forms of needlework and her cats, Emmy and Sam.

On April 23, 1949, in Buchanan, she married John Montgomery, with whom she celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary prior to his death on Sept. 16, 2004. She was also preceded in death by their daughter, Ann M. Montgomery, who died on Nov. 23, 2005; by her brothers, Neal Burks and William Burks; a half-brother, Robert Paine, DDS; and by John’s brother, Paul Montgomery.

Surviving family includes their daughters, Kathy (Rev. Sheldon) Crapo of Lincoln, Neb., and Jane E. Callahan of Buchanan; grandchildren, Jesse S. Crapo, Erin (Michael) Bryant, Larry J. Swartz and Anna M. Callahan; great-granddaughter, Mya Bryant; Jackie’s brother, Thomas J. (Lois) Burks of Buchanan; John’s sisters and brother, Marie Kangas of Buchanan, Ruthe Halbritter of Niles, and William B. Montgomery of St. Joseph; many nieces and nephews; and a circle of friends, including RaeAnn Clark.

The funeral service for Jackie Montgomery will be at 11 a.m. Monday, March 19, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Mr. Rolland Ernst of Buchanan Christian Church officiating. Committal will follow at the Oak Ridge Cemetery, Buchanan.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2 until 4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Jackie may be made to Huntington’s Disease Society of America or the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation.