Connie Montgomery with the Comity Advisors
After encouraging homeowners to submit articles to this column with stories about their lives as well as their contributions to their communities, Connie Montgomery submitted her story. Before moving to PebbleCreek, Mrs. Montgomery made significant contributions to her New Jersey community, taking on challenges to make schools better for all children and holding elected office.
Connie Montgomery—Connie to some, Miss Connie to others—is the fourth of five daughters of the late Arnold and Aletha Moulter. Connie and her deceased husband, William, have two children, Lisa and Byron. Connie attended college at St. Elizabeth in Convent Station, New Jersey, and majored in Business Administration. She was a manager at AT&T, retiring in 1991.
Connie’s contributions and accomplishments are many. She led an active life in her community of Morristown, New Jersey during her adulthood. She was president of the LaFayette Elementary School PTA, even though she had no children of school age at that time. Connie was the first African-American elected to the school board of the Morris School District and served as president of the board in 1969 and 1970 and vice president from 1972-74.
Connie was instrumental in organizing the parents of the second ward whose children attended the LaFayette school. Parents engaged in an effort to integrate the Morristown school system. Later, when the township wanted to withdraw Morristown High School from the system, Connie advocated for the merger of the Morris School District because she believed the merger would promote integration of the schools.
From 1975-81, Connie served on the New Jersey State Board of Education. In 1984, she was elected to the all-white City Council and served two terms on the council. She was President of the Council from 1985-87 and Vice President in 1988. In 1989, Connie was a candidate for the Mayor of Morristown, but lost the election by a mere 195 votes.
Connie participated in the Neighborhood Preservation program, undertaking the rehabilitation of older homes, and then placing them on the market for sale at affordable prices. Among Connie’s many contributions to her community were serving as Secretary of her neighborhood watch group and editor of the Voice, the neighborhood newsletter, which was published by Concerned Citizens of the 2nd Ward and focused on keeping African-American citizens informed about critical issues affecting the quality of life in the community. She was a founding member of the community group, the Carettes, Inc., that annually sponsored a ball for African-American junior high school students and awarded scholarships to seniors pursuing a college education. Connie was the founder of the LaFayette 4-H Club, which provided activities for youth to keep them out of trouble.
Connie has been an Episcopalian for over 50 years, having attended St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, New Jersey. She was a member of the choir and participated in many of the church’s ministries. She was a member of the vestry, the body of lay members elected by the congregation to run the business of the church. As a member of the vestry, Connie served as both senior and junior wardens. She also served on the New Ministries and Search committees and as an acolyte.
Connie has been a member of a number of organizations including the Carettes, Inc., the Morris County Urban League, the Morris City Fair Housing Council, NAACP, Morris County 4-H, Morris County Housing Authority Affordable Housing Board, Morris County Girl Scout Board and Drug Awareness Committee.
Connie has received many awards including the Black Achievers awards from the YMCA of New York and the YMWCA of Newark, New Jersey. She has been cited in the world Who’s Who of Women and Who’s Who Among Black Americans.
After 78 years in New Jersey, Connie moved to PebbleCreek, where she is basking in the sun and enjoying the amenities of our adult resort community.
If you are interested in submitting an article with a story from your life or about contributions you have made to your community, please send your articles to [email protected].