Editor’s note: This is first of two parts.
By Marilyn Miller
Most people think that sitting between Jack and Carolyn Montgomery would be an intimidating place to be. They are, after all, one of Webster Parish’s most well-known couples. But in truth, they are welcoming, humble, down-to-earth and family-loving…
The coffee and cookies have been scarfed down at the kitchen table, and the interview is about to begin when Jack, in his soft, but fast-talking-lawyer way, admitted that he didn’t care if the story got printed or not, he was enjoying himself. Because Jack Montgomery likes telling a good story, and he’s got stories to tell.
“It’s interesting that anybody would show an interest in our lives,” Jack says. “I am somewhat embarrassed because…I really haven’t done that much. I tell some of the young guys up there (at the courthouse), I guess the extraordinary thing about it is, I’ve lived a long time and can still talk.” Laughter followed, but he added “I’m perfectly willing to share, but it’s with a humble heart that I do. I’m a blessed human being and I don’t know why.”
How are you blessed? “Well, one way we are blessed is that we are still here,” Carolyn said. “Yes, so many of our friends are not here,” Jack, who turned 90 on June 2 of this year, agreed. In fact, when he lost his best friend, James Madden several years ago, his first thought was, “We are all mortal.” Then two years ago, Carolyn went through very serious open-heart surgery to replace her aortic valve. It took him to his knees, but she is good now. “I grew up as a competitor. Now all I ask is for God to give us some peace…some rest.”
Bossier-Webster District Attorney’s Office: “It’s extraordinary because I was there eight or 10 years (Carolyn says 10) and people would often come up to me and say, ‘You don’t remember me do you?’ And I’d think, okay, what did I do to you? One of them — I was not the easiest on him. He said “I went to the Penitentiary, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.’’
“God blessed me with the ability to capture confidence quickly,” Jack said. And he put that ability to use in his leadership roles in athletics (high school football and basketball at Springhill High School (captain and two state championships), football (captain) at Tulane University in New Orleans, ROTC at Tulane, LSU School of Law, three years in the US Air Force, stationed and practicing law at Brooks AFB in San Antonio, over 60 years practicing law in Springhill and Minden, and 10 years as an assistant District Attorney.
Louisiana State Senator, Dist. 36, 1968-1972: “If I had won re-election, I’d still be doing it (politics) today,” Jack said. “Politics was a good thing. God put me there. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Placed in a position of leadership, he could get almost everything done, many times alongside Governor John J. McKeithen. A few of these accomplishments included funding for the early years of Bossier Parish Community College, funding to help Northwest LA Vocational-Technical School in Minden, rewriting of the State’s Worker Compensation laws, a two-year project; the dedication of a dam across Toledo Bend Lake, and much more. “I think we did it well,” he said.
With reapportionment changing the district lines, Montgomery was defeated. After his loss, the Unions at International Paper Company in Springhill came to him and admitted that they made a mistake in not supporting him for re-election. They wanted to be sure he ran again. “The only reason I got out of politics was…I wear my feelings on my sleeve, and I could not take it when I disappointed.” He got down in their faces and responded “Nope, I’m not coming back. I will never, ever again be put in a position where a person like you can affect whether I have a good day or a bad day.”
Tulane friends, and a big family. Being an officer (Deputy Wing Commander) in the Tulane ROTC earned Jack a deferment from serving in the Vietnam War. He was going into the Air Force to fly jets. However, first he had to earn his law degree at LSU. And have their first child, Elizabeth.
One of his Tulane Green Wave teammates, Neal Jones (related to Minden’s Greg Jones’ family), flew jets over Vietnam. He got shot down over Hanoi and spent 7 ½ years in the Hanoi “Hilton.” Neal was tortured every day by a team of three Cubans. After Neal got home, he visited the Pentagon and described the three men for a sketch artist. The CIA tracked down and killed all three of the Cubans. Neal, who is now deceased, came to visit Jack & Carolyn later and Jack told him how guilty he felt about not serving. “Neal told me, ‘Don’t ever let your conscious bother you…I would never want you to go through what I went through.’’’ Neal was never bitter…he was not angry.
After serving three years with the JAG Corps. in the US Air Force, the Montgomery’s returned to Springhill and Jack opened his law partnership with Roy Fish in 1962. When it looked like the International Paper Company was beginning to struggle, the partners decided to open a branch in Minden. “The day we opened we blew up (made a profit).”
