A memorial was scheduled Friday for Albuquerque Tribune staffer Joel R. Montgomery, 37, who committed suicide at his home Sunday, the newspaper said. No other details on the suicide were released. Montgomery’s newspaper career began in Denver in 1962 as a printer’s helper and copy boy for the Rocky Mountain News. He joined the Tribune in 1972 as a copy editor and left the paper in 1978 when he and his wife, Susan, joined the Peace Corps. The couple served in Morocco. The couple returned to Albuquerque a year later. Montgomery filled a number of key jobs, including assistant city editor, copy desk chief and associate sports editor. He was a board member of Sigma Delta Chi- Professional Society of Journalists and was a member of the Albuquerque Press Club. Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Zoe, 2; and a son, Colin, 3 months.
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Monty was an easy guy to like at Carleton. I was visiting friends in another dorm when I first met him. Rather tall and gangly, a ready if not mischievous smile, a wry sense of humor, very bright. Monty was perfect for the “always question authority” 60s. His keen intellect made it easy for him to question everything and express another viewpoint. Though we only knew each other peripherally through common friends he was fun to be with. One night Monty joined me and several friends when we decided to trek up to Manitou Heights in search of adventure at that other college in town. As we crossed the Cannon River on the 2nd Street Bridge Monty decided it was too easy to just walk across the bridge like everyone else. Back in the day the bridge superstructure was made of iron beams so common in the design of early 20th century bridges. He decided to shinny up one end of the bridge, walk across the top I-beam balancing like a tightrope walker, and then slide down the other end to meet us. We were so astounded by his feat that we hardly thought about how dangerous it was. In retrospect it may have been a harbinger of potentially self-destructive behavior to come. I’ll always remember Monty as someone who was not afraid to take the road less traveled and who could see another side of things. It probably made him a really good, inquisitive journalist. I am very sad that Monty will not be at reunion. I will miss him.
Bob Mazanec ’68
Comments
Monty was an easy guy to like at Carleton. I was visiting friends in another dorm when I first met him. Rather tall and gangly, a ready if not mischievous smile, a wry sense of humor, very bright. Monty was perfect for the “always question authority” 60s. His keen intellect made it easy for him to question everything and express another viewpoint. Though we only knew each other peripherally through common friends he was fun to be with. One night Monty joined me and several friends when we decided to trek up to Manitou Heights in search of adventure at that other college in town. As we crossed the Cannon River on the 2nd Street Bridge Monty decided it was too easy to just walk across the bridge like everyone else. Back in the day the bridge superstructure was made of iron beams so common in the design of early 20th century bridges. He decided to shinny up one end of the bridge, walk across the top I-beam balancing like a tightrope walker, and then slide down the other end to meet us. We were so astounded by his feat that we hardly thought about how dangerous it was. In retrospect it may have been a harbinger of potentially self-destructive behavior to come. I’ll always remember Monty as someone who was not afraid to take the road less traveled and who could see another side of things. It probably made him a really good, inquisitive journalist. I am very sad that Monty will not be at reunion. I will miss him.