Gary Montgomery, Papa, longtime resident of Pocatello, Idaho, passed away suddenly on the morning of December 21, 2018. He was 72 years old. Gary had been snowshoeing with a close friend, collapsed suddenly, and couldn't recover.
Gary was born on February 25, 1946 to Harold and Mary Montgomery in the old General Hospital. He attended Jefferson Elementary, Irving Junior High School, and Pocatello High School. He graduated from Idaho State University with a degree in Biology and a minor in Mathematics.
Gary started working for the Union Pacific Railroad part-time time while attending ISU. Little did he know the railroad would be the career he would retire from after 41 years of service.
Gary married the love of his life, Lynda Flisher, in 1976. They started out their new life in Green River, WY, with Gary's two boys, Brian and Gerrad, from a previous marriage. They made the move to Wyoming so Gary could take the position as a Claim Agent for the railroad. In 1977, Gary and Lynda added to their family, welcoming a new baby boy, Jason. Gary and his family moved back to Pocatello so he could become a Locomotive Engineer, which is the position he held until retirement in 2006.
Gary enjoyed every moment of his life with his boys and Lynda. Gary and Lynda were inseparable, taking walks most mornings to get coffee, hosting and attending dinner parties with good friends, traveling to Alaska, Hawaii, and most recently to Indio, California to spend time with Lynda's brother and sister-in-law. Gary was an outdoor enthusiast. When Gary wasn't spending time with his family, you could find Gary in his element, hiking in the mountains, cycling, target shooting, rock climbing, and camping.
We will miss Gary's humor, enjoyment of the outdoors, and his love for lemon meringue, pecan, and Lynda's rhubarb pie. Carter and Drew will miss playing and hiking with their Papa. The neighbors will miss their driveways being shoveled and the crows will miss the peanuts.
Gary leaves behind his loving wife, Lynda, his three boys Brian (Colleen), Gerrad (Tracie), Jason (Camille), his two grandsons and best buddies, Carter and Drew, Brothers Dean and Glenn (Carmelita), Sister Mary Allice (Bill), grandchildren Sean, Alisa, and Holly, Sister-in-law Shirley (Tony), and Brother-in-law Curtis (Inez). Gary follows in death his parents Harold and Mary, Mother-in-law and Father-in-law Jessie and Clarence, and Sister-in-law Dortha.
We welcome family and friends to attend Gary's memorial service at Pocatello First United Methodist Church at 200 N 15th Avenue on Saturday, December 29, 2018. Visitation with family will be at 1:00 and celebration of life at 2:00.
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