Joseph E. Montgomery – Irish in Philly

News, People

Honors for the ‘Gold Standard of an Irish Gentleman’

Bob Haley and Joe Montgomery

When it comes to award banquets and the like, there are times when an organization has a hard time figuring out who to honor.

For the Firefighter John J. Redmond Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, it was a no-brainer.

At their Hibernian Service Award ceremony Friday night at the Firefighters Union Hall in Center City, the Redmond AOH honored the only living person to have an AOH division named after him (Division 65 in Upper Darby): Joe Montgomery.

“He was chosen by a committee of our executive board,” says Bob Haley, president of Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 22. “Joe’s name wasn’t even challenged.”

Haley, who is 48, recognizes well that Joe Montgomery is from another generation (he’s 90), but he says Montgomery is not set in his ways and he’s open to new thoughts and ideas. Since he’s been around the block a few times, though, Montgomery can be relied upon to provide wise counsel. And the young guys are all too willing to learn from the master.

“Joe is a friend to almost every division in the Philadelphia area and throughout Pennsylvania,” said Haley. “Joe is Pennsylvania’s oldest Hibernian. He’s been around long enough so that he knows what’s been tried and hasn’t worked. He’ll sit there and listen to you and what you have to say, and he’ll give you advice. Still, he likes to say, ‘It’s your generation who will keep the AOH going.’

“Joe’s been to every convention, not just the state but the national. He’s been an officer on almost every level. Everybody knows Joe Montgomery.”

In addition to Montgomery’s longtime dedication to the AOH, Haley says Montgomery is noteworthy for yet another reason: He’s what Bob Gessler, founder of the Hibernian Hunger Project and a leader among Philadelphia Hibernians, has called “the gold standard for an Irish gentleman.” Haley notes that Montgomery used to live at 11th and Jackson and, as a younger man, worked as a teamster.

“He went to work in a suit and tie every day,” says Haley. “He’d change into his work clothes when he got to work. That’s the kind of guy he was.”

The division honored several other people of note:

Hibernian of the year
Hubert Gantz
President Garrettford – Drexel Hill Vol. Fire Co.
AOH Div. 22 Recording Secretary

Irishman of the Year
Edward Dougherty
National Hibernian Hunger Project Chairman
President AOH Div. 39

Ladies Hibernian of the Year
Debbie Lenczynski
Treasurer LAOH Div. 22

Photos on 22’s Facebook page.

June 16, 2011 by Jeff Meade

News, People

2009 Irish Hall of Fame Inductee: Joe Montgomery

Joseph E. Montgomery

By Kathy McGee Burns

“A Gentleman is one who puts more into the world than he takes out.”—George Bernard Shaw

Joe Montgomery’s friend and long time associate, Bob Gessler, says, “Joseph Mongomery is the gold standard for what it means to be an Irish Gentleman.” Joe is being honored by the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame on November 15th, as it celebrates its 9th Annual Awards Dinner.

His whole life represents service to his country, religion, profession and heritage. He is the ultimate family man and true friend to all. Born in 1919 (yes, that makes him 90), he is the son of John J. and Rose Moran Montgomery. Joe’s father had been sickly off and on following World War I. He died when Joe was 10, forcing him to be “the man of the family.” This was during the Depression years.

Rumor has it that Joe Montgomery’s fathers people were from Cavan but we definitely know that Rose Moran’s family came from County Mayo. His Great Grandfather David Moran served in the Civil War, first on the USS Galena, commissioned in 1862, an unclad screw steamer that was part of a unit of Admiral David Farragut. Later he finished his service on the USS Philadelphia.

Joe was a dutiful student at Epiphany of Our Lord School (11th and Jackson), serving as an altar boy and a choir member. He also attended the Purple and the Gold, Roman Catholic High School. While he was there, he played for a team called the “Mighty Mites,” named for their collective lack of height. Three of his teammates went on to be champion players for St. Joseph College: Matt Goukas, Dan Kenny and John Mc Mena-
min.

Montgomery enlisted in the Army Air Corp, 1939, and spent 44 months in Panama and the Pacific Theatre. He managed to rise to the rank of top sergeant.

Marriage was easy for Joe, all 55 years of it, because he had captured the heart of the beautiful, Mary Collis. Mary, whose family was from Sligo, was a member of Trans- figuration Parish. Joe sang in their choir from 1937 to 1980. They had three children, Kathleen, Patrick and Joanne. Mary was Joe’s right hand. When I mentioned her name, there was glee in his voice and he said, What about her! She was the only one for him and he was the only one for her. “Mary made me look good.” They worked side by side in all they did. Mary passed away in 1998.

Joe worked as a Teamster for 35 years retiring in 1981.

Joe Montgomery’s dedication to service for others and especially for Irish causes defines his character. Here are some of his accomplishments:

He is the Past President of the Irish-American Societies of the Delaware Valley and honored as their Man of the Year in 1983.
Past President of the Commodore John Barry U.S.N. Society
Past Chairman of the Philadelphia Chapter National Immigration Committee
Past President of the St. Patrick’s Day Observance Committee
Grand Marshal of the St. Patrick’s Parade 1993
Advisory Committee of the “Treasures of Early Irish Art”

Joe told me that the year he was Grand Marshal there was a terrible blizzard. The rules state that there is no rain date but the then Mayor, Edward Rendell, insisted that the march go on the following week.

Joe Montgomery’s greatest love is his AOH, Division #65. He served as tpresident for 42 years and now holds the title of president emeritus. He has also been the state AOH president, served four terms as Philadelphia president and in1992, Joe was awarded the highest honor: Gold Card Life Member.
He is also the recipient of an honor unprecedented in the history of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. On the 100th Anniversary of Division 65, the members decided to name the group after Montgomery. All AOH divisions are named after deceased members. But Joe had once commented that given his long-time service to the AOH, that maybe when he died they would name the division after him. At the ceremony, former Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney said Joe was the first person he ever knew that got his dying wish while he was still alive.

“Those fellows couldn’t treat their own fathers better than they treat me,” Joe told me. During the 2007 national convention in New Orleans they bought him a first class plane ticket. When he balked, they said, “You are first class.”

Fellow Div. 64 member Jim Kilgallen says Joe Montgomery is king of the one liners. A few of his best:

John McDoe would give an aspirin a headache
John McDoe could start a fight in an empty room
John McDoe is as cold as a landlady’s heart
John McDoe is as popular as a widow with a pension.

All of his AOH brothers have stories to tell about Joe Montgomery. Pat Mulhern said Joe doesn’t have an enemy in the world. “At conventions, everyone knows him; they run up to him and practically kiss his ring.” I asked Joe Martin what was interesting about Joe. He laughed and said “Everything about Joe Montgomery is interesting.”

November 13, 2009 by Guest