Carol Montgomery

Carol Lemley Montgomery April 25, 1943 – September 15, 2022 Preceded by parents and son, Mark Hamilton Gary; sister, Rhoda Jane Hall. Survived by her loving husband, Mac Montgomery; Son, John Paul Gary (Colleen); Daughters, Rhoda J Gary and Mary Montgomery; Grandchildren, Katie Nannini (Michael); Hannah Reed (Brittany); Emily Gary; Brother, Ed Lemley (Camille); Nieces and nephews, Mary Alvice Davidson, Ruth Lemley-Goodman (Jeff), Mark Lemley (Roxanne) and three great grandchildren. Carol was born in Birmingham, AL to Edwin and Mary Frances Lemley. Carol and Mac were married in 1970 in Columbus GA while he was assigned to Ft Benning after his first tour to Viet Nam. Their adventure together went on from there for 52 years and it was time filled with accomplishments, travel, and growth. Shortly after they were married Carol started taking flying lessons while Mac was in flight school. It was a bold move for an Army wife at that time, but she loved going to the flight line and pulling her Cessna 150 out of the hanger for lessons. She continued her flying lessons for the next two years while raising four children with a husband back in Viet Nam again. The stories of her solo flights were great. Carol and Mac went off to Florida Atlantic University where she began her studies and worked in the College theater. Then they were assigned to Germany and lived there for over three years. Living in a small German village, Carol mastered shopping in German and being the liaison for local town guests to the base. She pushed and shoved past Secret Service and Army Colonels to get her assigned Mayor to meet President Ford during his visit, never one to take no for an answer. Carol enrolled at Armstrong State in Savannah on their return and graduated in three years, Magna Cum Laude (she got a B in College Algebra). The they were off the southern California where Carol had been accepted into the doctoral program in history at University of California Irvine. She studied there four years and then they transferred to New York City. Carol worked on her dissertation and taught at St John’s University (where Mac was assigned). It was days of long trips for research to New York libraries, the National Archives in DC, and on-site visits to former plantation sites in Alabama. Carol completed an absolutely great dissertation and was awarded her PhD in 1991 with all the family there in California to include her mother. They moved to North Carolina in 1988 as Mac was assigned to Ft. Bragg. After he retired, they moved to Hamlet, NC. In 1989, they bought a little place in Kure Beach. During this time Carol continued to teach with positions at Methodist University, Campbell University, Fayetteville State University, Richmond, and Sandhills Community Colleges. In 2000, they retired to the beach and used that house as home base while traveling in their Airstream. Retirement was good but needed a little extra. Carol joined the Board of the Foundation at Cape Fear Community College and Mac was elected Mayor of Kure Beach. Carol immersed herself in support of the environment, working as a volunteer for sea turtle nesting and supporting efforts to stop industrial pollution of our air and water. Then they discovered volunteering for National Parks, Wildlife Refuges and Federal recreation areas in New Mexico. After six tours of welcoming the public to these wonderful spaces, Carol decided to stay home and enjoy being retired. Carol was a strong and highly intelligent woman who carried with her a deep sense of equity, fairness, and goodness. She was at home arguing about politics, women’s rights, as well as the taste of food at a particular restaurant. For over half a century, Carol and Mac visited many places, met and loved many people, watched family grow and bond, and never stopped loving each other. Contributions in Carol's memory can be made to Cape Fear Community College College Foundation: https://cfcc.edu/foundation/give/