Vera E. Montgomery, 91, Humboldt, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008, at the Allen County Hospital in Iola.

Vera was born March 1, 1917, at Oak Valley, to John Riley and Hazel May Wilson Beck. She grew up in the Chanute and Erie areas.

On Feb. 10, 1938, Vera married Lee H. Montgomery at Chanute. They made their home at Chanute before moving to Erie. Lee served as sheriff of Neosho County for a number of years and Vera assisted in the management of the jail.

After Lee’s death in January of 1973, Vera made her home in Kansas and briefly in Illinois before moving to Humboldt.

Vera’s hobbies were cooking and sewing. She was a member of the Humboldt Christian Church, Order of the Eastern Star at Erie for over 50 years, and she did volunteer work at the Humboldt Public Library and for the Humboldt Senior Citizens.

Survivors include a son, John Montgomery and wife, Rosalynd, Chanute; a daughter, Mary Lou Brown and husband, Danny, Humboldt; two sisters, Myrtle “Becky” Stafford, Moran, and Alberta Searcy and husband, Glen, Iola; 3 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; 2 great -greatgrandchildren

Vera was preceded in death by a son, Leonard Dean Montgomery; grandson, Randall L. Brown; granddaughter, Christina Montgomery; brothers, Clifford and Thurman Beck and an infant brother; and by a sister, Mary Ethel Smith.

Funeral will be 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, at the Humboldt Christian Church.

Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery in Chanute.

The family will receive friends 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Humboldt Christian Church.

Memorials to Humboldt Public Library may be left with the Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, in charge of arrangements.