"Mr. Veteran," Sonny Montgomery Dies at 85
CL: Former Congressman Sonny Montgomery Dies
CL: Montgomery 'Always Out Front'
CL: Colleagues, Leaders Recall Montgomery
Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery and me at a Stennis-Montgomery Association reception in Washington, D.C. in 2003.
Former United States Congressman Gillespie V. “Sonny” Montgomery, who during 30 years in Congress representing east central Mississippi earned the reputation on Capitol Hill as “Mr. Veteran,” died at 4:15 a.m. today at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian of complications from a prior abdominal surgery. He was 85.
My first encounter with Congressman Montgomery was captured in the above picture in February 2003. I again had the pleasure to meet the Congressman at a book signing for his autobiography, Sonny Montgomery: The Veteran's Champion, in September 2003, again in the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. in February 2004, and yet again in May 2005 when Mississippi State University unveiled a life-sized bronze statue of him to overlook the campus' historic Drill Field.
At each meeting with the Congressman, he was always friendlier than he had to be. He always wanted to know my name, where I was from, who my parents (and grandparents) were, what I was studying, etc. He genuinely cared about what was going on in my life, even when he had just met me for the first time. It is those qualities of courtesy, character and integrity that I will remember most about him.
While a student at Mississippi State, Montgomery was elected Student Association President and Mr. MSU, both positions I either ran for or was nominated for. Unlike Sonny, however, I won neither election. MSU President Doc Foglesong said it best with the statement, "He was 'Mr. MSU' the year he graduated and he remains so today."
Montgomery is best remembered for legislation he introduced that resulted in the Montgomery GI Bill, named in his honor. The GI Bill has existed in some form since 1944, when the United States developed the program to benefit World War II veterans who were returning home.
The educational benefit has had many different names since, but it was modernized for a peacetime, volunteer force as the Montgomery GI Bill in 1984. Among other things, the Montgomery Bill was the first to offer education benefits to National Guard and Reserve personnel.
Last November, Montgomery became only the second Mississippian to win the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. He received the award from President George W. Bush. Montgomery made arrangements prior to his death to donate his Presidential Medal of Freedom to his alma mater, Mississippi State University.
Funeral services for Montgomery will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Temple Theater on 22nd Avenue in Meridian. Former President George H.W. Bush is expected to attend, but will not speak at the funeral.
Editor's note: Various people and press releases contributed to this report.
CL: Montgomery 'Always Out Front'
CL: Colleagues, Leaders Recall Montgomery
Congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery and me at a Stennis-Montgomery Association reception in Washington, D.C. in 2003.
Former United States Congressman Gillespie V. “Sonny” Montgomery, who during 30 years in Congress representing east central Mississippi earned the reputation on Capitol Hill as “Mr. Veteran,” died at 4:15 a.m. today at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian of complications from a prior abdominal surgery. He was 85.
My first encounter with Congressman Montgomery was captured in the above picture in February 2003. I again had the pleasure to meet the Congressman at a book signing for his autobiography, Sonny Montgomery: The Veteran's Champion, in September 2003, again in the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. in February 2004, and yet again in May 2005 when Mississippi State University unveiled a life-sized bronze statue of him to overlook the campus' historic Drill Field.
At each meeting with the Congressman, he was always friendlier than he had to be. He always wanted to know my name, where I was from, who my parents (and grandparents) were, what I was studying, etc. He genuinely cared about what was going on in my life, even when he had just met me for the first time. It is those qualities of courtesy, character and integrity that I will remember most about him.
While a student at Mississippi State, Montgomery was elected Student Association President and Mr. MSU, both positions I either ran for or was nominated for. Unlike Sonny, however, I won neither election. MSU President Doc Foglesong said it best with the statement, "He was 'Mr. MSU' the year he graduated and he remains so today."
Montgomery is best remembered for legislation he introduced that resulted in the Montgomery GI Bill, named in his honor. The GI Bill has existed in some form since 1944, when the United States developed the program to benefit World War II veterans who were returning home.
The educational benefit has had many different names since, but it was modernized for a peacetime, volunteer force as the Montgomery GI Bill in 1984. Among other things, the Montgomery Bill was the first to offer education benefits to National Guard and Reserve personnel.
Last November, Montgomery became only the second Mississippian to win the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. He received the award from President George W. Bush. Montgomery made arrangements prior to his death to donate his Presidential Medal of Freedom to his alma mater, Mississippi State University.
Funeral services for Montgomery will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Temple Theater on 22nd Avenue in Meridian. Former President George H.W. Bush is expected to attend, but will not speak at the funeral.
Editor's note: Various people and press releases contributed to this report.
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