EARL MONTGOMERY

Earl Montgomery, age 89, of Sugar Grove, educator of thousands and the reason many fell in love with science, slipped his earthly bonds and into the great laboratory in the sky Sunday, July 16, 2023. Now free to build as many theories and experiments as he wants, Earl looks down with love and mischief, leaving memories to last a lifetime.

He was born on April 4, 1934, in Batavia, IL, to loving parents, Luther and Anna Montgomery.

Earl grew up in Batavia and attended local schools. He graduated from Marmion Military Academy with the class of 1952.

He continued his education at St. Procopius, now Illinois Benedictine University and eventually received his master’s degree in science and education from Northern Illinois University. He found the first love of his life in Kathleen Wolf and they were united in marriage in 1963. The family grew to include three children and between filled their lives with laughter and love until her passing in 1975.

He parlayed his passion for science into a teaching career that lasted many generations of students, each one found a man whose inner child couldn’t help but shine when sharing all the wonders of the world. Earl began an amazing tenure at Kaneland Schools in 1958, and it was in those halls that he found love again with fellow teacher, Carol (Foster) Gage. Earl could probably draw you an equation for the chemical reaction the first time they met, but all you needed to do was look in his eyes and know a connection had been made. They walked down the aisle on June 19, 1982, in Battle Creek, MI.

They began their new life together in Sugar Grove where Carol helped to make their house a home, and Earl made the basement his personal scientific lair, filled with the chaos of learning, experiments and thousands of hours of study.

Earl hand built more than experiments. His nimble fingers built furniture, cabinets, bedroom sets and countless ducks, and loons carved out of wood; he even created a mini bulldozer from scrap. He was very proud of building a mahogany 3 point sports hydro boat, whose plans were found in Popular Science Magazine. He had a scientist’s mind but an artist’s heart, exploring his technique and talent on drawing paper and in his portfolio. Recently his interest was piqued with aquaponics and hydroponics with dreams of strawberries of every kind, as well as spinach and beets. Music filled his soul and when he wasn’t listening to big band and jazz, he made it himself playing the piano and accordion. He loved to be on the water in one of his sail boats and wet a line at any watering hole he encountered, hoping to catch the big one instead of just saying he did. Earl just couldn’t sit still and many times there weren’t enough hours in a day for everything he wanted to accomplish. We are now left with the feeling there weren’t enough years to know and love him, but the ones we were granted have become priceless and will never be forgotten.   

He leaves his loving wife of 41 years, Carol Montgomery; three children: Anna Marie Seidelman, Marcia Montgomery and Mark (Ann) Montgomery; as well as two step-children: Jennifer Gage and Stephanie (John) Hoffer; seven grandchildren: Collin and Brianna Seidelman, Cole and Logan Montgomery, Katie, Julia and Johnny Hoffer; one sister, Margaret Lamberton; many nieces, nephews, cousins and a countryside of students turned friends who will miss him dearly.

He is reunited with his parents, Luther and Anna; his first wife, Kathleen (Wolf)  Montgomery; one brother, Floyd Montgomery; and a son-in-law, Terry Seidelman, who preceded him in death.

A memorial visitation will be from 4-8 p.m., Friday, July 21, 2023, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL. Private family services and burial will follow cremation at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in his name to the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society or anything that has to do with conservation or the environment. Memories and tributes may also be left on the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.