Mr. Herbert Hover Montgomery, 91, of Jacksonville, Fla., passed away Monday morning, November 11, 2019 at Community Hospice at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.
Born December 30, 1927 in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the second youngest of eight children born to the late Joseph Isreal Clay Montgomery and Estella Mae Simmons. He grew up in Brooklyn, where he graduated from Food Trades High School. He was a professional baker for Herman Star Bakery on Long Island as well as Marita Bread on Long Island specializing in wedding cakes. In 1950, he married Christina A. Montgomery, a seamstress also from Brooklyn. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery had three children of their own but served as foster parents to 27 more, raising three of them with their own children into adulthood.
Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery traveled the country camping with their children into adulthood. Having visited his longtime family property on American Beach for many years, Mr. Montgomery and his wife came to Fernandina Beach, Fla. in the early 1980s. After settling here, he opened a business as a handyman and worked for a designer and The Plantation as an independent contractor. Mr. Montgomery was a faithful member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, enjoyed bowling and movies, and became affectionately referred to as “Dad” by everyone that came to know him. After his wife died, he moved to Jacksonville with his youngest daughter and attended For Your Soul Gospel International Ministries, where he frequently attended.
Preceding him in death were his wife, Christina Montgomery, in 2014; a son, Herbert H. Montgomery Jr. in 1986; a granddaughter, Antoinetta Melcarne, in 1995; and his son, Ronald J. Brown, in 2009.
He leaves behind two daughters, Sondra Lynn Christina Melcarne and husband Luigi Melcarne of South Huntington, N.Y., Mitziann White and husband Clifford H. White III of Jacksonville; and a grandson, Damiano Herbert Melcarne, along with his extended daughters, Francine Dawn Smart-Flexer of Tampa, Fla. and Nina Flores-Lopez of San Diego, Calif., his extended son, Todd Winters of Long Island, N.Y., and countless nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews as well.
A Homegoing Memorial Service will be held at noon Monday, November 18, 2019 at For Your Soul Gospel International Ministries, located at 49 N. Bowlan St. in Jacksonville, with Archbishop Camelot Bonaventure officiating. Mr. Montgomery will be creamated and laid to rest with his beloved wife in Bosque Bello Cemetery at a later time.