Obituary of Suzanne Stewart Montgomery

Suzanne Stewart Montgomery lost her valiant battle with lung cancer on October 27, 2019 at Maryville Nursing Home in Beaverton, Oregon. She was 75 years old. Suzanne, or "Sue" as she was called by her friends and family, was born on September 29, 1944 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Her parents were Grayce Petey Montgomery, originally of Rhinelander, Wisconsin and Thomas Braden Montgomery Sr., originally of Ford City, Pennsylvania, both of whom predeceased her. Sue was a "War baby" who spent her first two years in Rhinelander at her mother's family home as her father completed his World War II service in Europe. Thereafter, the family lived for a short time in Ford City, Pennsylvania, before moving to Pittsburgh where Sue was raised in Pleasant Hills, a suburb. Sue attended high school at Mount Mercy Academy in Pittsburgh. She attended San Francisco College for Women for two years, then transferred to the University of Portland where she earned her B.A. in Political Science. Sue also held a Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Sue spent her career as a librarian at The Oregonian newspaper and in the Portland Public Library system. In her later years, she spent extended time in New Bern, North Carolina, assisting her elderly parents in their retirement before returning to her beloved Portland. Throughout her life, Sue was an avid reader, moviegoer and keen letter writer in the Jane Austen tradition. She had a traveling spirit and was always looking for her next adventure. Sue was blessed to have many lifelong friends including Marylyn Klesh of Beaverton, Carol McMenamin of Portland, and Barbara McCanne of Gresham. Sue is survived by her brothers William B. Montgomery of Roswell, Georgia; Braden Montgomery (Helen) of Media, Pennsylvania; her niece Tracey Montgomery Kirchoff (Brian) of Severna Park, Maryland; cousins Steve Johnson (Lois) of Vancouver, Washington; Cindy Formosa (Tom Bogan) and Julie Harrell (Buzz) both of Nashville, Tennessee. She also leaves behind her "sister," former sister-in-law Karen Montgomery Crabtree (Joseph), of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. At Sue’s request, there will be no service.