Flora Montgomery 1873-1957

MONTGOMERY BURGESS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 11/27/2009 at 20:26:57

Onawa Democrat
29 August 1957

Well Known Onawa Lady Died August 27th

Mrs. Flora Montgomery Passed Away At A Local Hospital After A Years Illness—

She was born in Onawa 84 years ago and spent her entire life here with the exception of five years.

After a year of illness and suffering, Mrs. Flora Burgess Montgomery, a life- long resident of Onawa, passed away at the Onawa Hospital, where she had been taken a day before her death on Saturday, August 24, 1957, at the age 0f 84 years, She had during the past year made several visits to the hospital for treatment.

Since the death of her brother’s wife, Mrs. W.W. Burgess, she had made her home with Mr. Burgess, giving up her own home.

Flora Burgess Montgomery was born in Onawa, Iowa, on July 15, 1873, the youngest daughter of an early pioneer couple, Walter and Mary Burgess. Mrs. Montgomery had lived her entire life in Onawa with the exception of five years, which she spent at Pittsburg, Pa.

Up until her recent illness, Mrs. Montgomery took prominent place in church. Clubs and lodge work. She belonged to the Rebekah Lodge and the G.A.R. Society of which organization she had filled many of the offices. She had been a member of the Onawa Congregational church since a child and had taken her part in the church societies during the adult years of her life.

She was a woman, who was highly respected and loved in the community, where she had spent so many years and enjoyed the friendship of hundreds.

During her long illness, she suffered much pain, but was a patient that seldom complained and only prayed for the day when she might be relieved.

Flora Burgess was married to William U. Montgomery, a former grocery merchant in Onawa June 1920. Mr. Montgomery died November 27, 1937.
She is survived by a step-daughter, Mrs. Della Orr of Compton, California; two step-sons, Howard Montgomery of Medalia, Minn., and William Montgomery of Portland, Oregon; two brothers, A.W. and Joe Burgess both of Onawa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary Burgess; a sister, Mrs. Sims and two brothers, William and James.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, August 27, 1957, at 2 p.m. at the Congregational church in Onawa with Rev. Everett Epperson conducting the Services. Mr. Evans Davies sang accompanied at the organ by Mrs. Marie Danforth. Casket bearers were Mark Murphy, Oscar Falk, William Barnard, William Wonder, Willard Oliver and Robert Underhill. Interment was made in the Burgess lot in the Onawa Cemetery with arrangements by the Pearson Funeral Home of Onawa, Iowa.