Diane Montgomery, lovingly known to her friends as “Sally,” passed away peacefully at her home in Huntsville,

Texas, on February 25, 2024, at the age of 72.

Born in Houston on December 18,1951 to Juanita LaRue (Crowell) Montgomery and Paul Lewis Montgomery,

Diane spent her early years on the city’s North side, where she attended Allen Elementary. She was a Girl Scout

who enjoyed riding horses at Camp Peach Creek, and she competed on a swim team. Her family later moved to

Candlelight Subdivision, where she attended Black Junior High and Waltrip Senior High. She was deeply involved

in the Heights area church youth events and remained connected with both the class of 1969 and 1970 alumni

throughout her life.

Diane briefly attended Sam Houston State University before embarking on a life full of adventure and exploration.

She lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. She took spontaneous road trips across the

Southern and Western United States, scuba-dived in the Caribbean, and was an avid fan of live rock concerts,

especially the Moody Blues. In her 20s, she also made her mark as a professional quarter mile drag racer, proudly

owning two race cars.

Professionally, Diane worked in sales at Allen Office Supply for 17 years before returning to school to pursue her

passion for science. Her academic journey took her through North Harris Community College, Houston Baptist

University, University of Houston, and eventually to Texas A&M University in Galveston, where she graduated

with a degree in Oceanography. She went on to work in various scientific laboratories, including genetics labs at

UTMB and MD Anderson, as well as microbiology and chemical labs, most recently at Lone Star College.

Outside of her professional life, Diane found joy in music, volunteering, and creativity. She sang in the choirs of

Heights Presbyterian and Houston’s Second Baptist Church, and she loved attending Bible studies. Diane also

enjoyed bowling, pool, designing jewelry, playing poker and bingo, and inventing new things. She gave her time

generously volunteering in the emergency room at Ben Taub Hospital and the Star of Hope mission in Houston. One

of her long-held dreams was to participate in a sea-based medical mission.

Diane is survived by her brother John Montgomery DDS and his wife Carol Lombardino, her daughter Penny

Montgomery, her grandsons -Zechariah Bocchetto, Matthew Schlanser, and Daniel Schlanser and lots of nieces and

nephews and their children.

A private memorial service was held in March 2024 where Diane resided. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that

donations be made in her honor to the Texas A&M Association of Former Students, supporting scholarships for

students facing financial hardship.

She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered for her adventurous spirit, compassion, and vibrant personality.

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