In Memoriam 1916-2005

Beloved Chorus friend and Touring mom, Clara Montgomery, passed away on Tuesday, February 8, 2005. She was affectionately known as “Ma” Montgomery to the hundreds of boys who were in the Chorus during her nearly two decades as Touring mom. Though she served in that capacity from 1966 through 1982, her association with the Chorus began when her son, Richard “Dick” (Forehand), joined the Chorus in 1955. Friends of the Chorus celebrated her life at a memorial service on Saturday, February 19, 2005 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints/West Tucson Stake Center in Tucson. The Touring Chorus, Director Julian Ackerley, family, alumni and friends participated in the special memorial presentation. In her memory, the family has established the Clara “Ma” Montgomery Memorial Fund, Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, 5770 E. Pima Street, Tucson, AZ 85712. For more information, call the Chorus, 296-6277.

In celebration of “Ma” Montgomery’s life, we are compiling remembrances of “Ma Montgomery” from Chorus directors, alumni and friends. Please forward your coments to tabc@boyschorus.org with Ma Montgomery in the subject line, or send them to the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus, 5770 E Pima Street, Tucson, AZ 85712. We have included Director Julian Ackerley’s comments at the memorial service below.

Clara “Ma” Montgomery Memorial
Gary Greene Eulogy

Heaven received a special resident last week and there's been quite a buzz about it. The saints had to cancel some of their scheduled games of pinochle and golf with God because God was making sure all the blueberries, peaches and plums in heaven were at the peak of perfect ripeness and that our beloved Ma was made welcome and comfortable on her arrival.
God cancelled one entire day of planned heavenly events just so he could listen to Ma reminisce about her family and her boys. And you know those stories were told with love and affection for everyone Ma knew. The saints and the angels have welcomed one of their own into heaven.

Those of us who were fortunate enough to have Ma as part of our lives here on earth will always remember her for her great big heart and the love she shared with all of us. And we'll remember her smile - - she smiled so big that it made her blue eyes seem to squint a bit. But just as sure as there were curls in her hair, there was a sparkle in her eyes. Indeed, there was always a sparkle in Ma's life. Ma's philosophy was: “Show me a busy woman and I'll show you a happy woman.” And so she filled her life with those things that brought her joy and she brought love and joy to the people who filled her life.

Ma had an extraordinary job description while we were out on tour:
She was our barber and our counselor in matters of love. She was our button sewer and our bandage fixer. Ma combed our hair and pressed our pants, mended our rips and patted us on the back. She was our sandwich maker, cookie keeper, cheek kisser, tear dryer, throat soother and nose wiper. And she would kick us in the butt if ever we deserved it! Ma gave and received hugs by the hundreds each day and kisses by the thousands every week. She checked our wardrobe and made sure we looked like the angels we were supposed to be whether on stage or in the dining room of a Howard Johnsons somewhere in South Carolina. She made sure we were ready to perform, and that included making sure we were happy, healthy, well dressed and well disciplined.

Ma knew from experience to come on tour prepared for anything; She came prepared for EVERYTHING! I think Ma must have invented the 'SOFT SIDED TOOLKIT' because in her purse, she carried pliers and screwdrivers, diagonal wire cutters and electrical tape. And she always had tissues and some quarters for laundry and pay phones and . . . well, whatever else we needed quarters for! If there was anything else we needed that wasn't in her purse - she carried in abundance in her heart.

Ma had her pet names for us. Mine was “Greenie.” Jim's was “Klinker.” Her nicknames were always so much kinder than the nicknames our fellow choristers had for each other! Ma seemed to know just what we needed when we needed it. She made sure every one of us knew she loved us the best.

Us kids - - We competed for the right to be close to her. Reservations needed to be made well in advance if you wanted to sit next to Ma on the bus on the last day of tour! And sitting next to Ma for breakfast, lunch or dinner was a treat we each looked forward to. Ma knew the cure for homesickness - and she dispensed daily doses to keep us all healthy.

I stayed in touch with Ma for many years after my graduation from the chorus, as I know many others of her boys did. She always made me feel welcome and - without a doubt - very much loved. She seemed to always be baking - or had just finished baking. It was hard not to feel just a little bit guilty about all the home-cooked goodies I received on every visit - cookies, pies and preserves from Ma's larder that were just as sweet as she was. It was always special to visit with her in the kitchen of her home on Roger Road. A short visit turned into several hours, because she remembered and shared so many stories about our times and our tours together. The love and joy she showed was mutual and I'm sure that each of her boys - each of us who received it gave it back and shared it in equal measure. Our lives, our families and our world are so much the better for the love that Ma showed.

For myself and on behalf of 100's of your boys, Ma: Thank you. I love you, Ma. WE love you, Ma. And we always will.

Comments from Director Julian Ackerley
at the Clara “Ma” Montgomery Memorial Service
I am honored to have been asked by Clara’s family to share some thoughts today and to reminisce on her extraordinary life. Clara was a dedicated wife, mother to Richard and Barbara, grandmother to five grandchildren and great grandmother to ten great grand children. She loved her family, was proud of them and their accomplishments and always had family stories to share which she would tell with great delight.

Clara was also “Ma” to hundreds of boys in the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus. For nearly two decades she was the wardrobe manager and tour chaperone from 1966 through 1982. But, her association with the Chorus began when her son Richard (Dick or Skip) joined the Chorus in 1955.

Ma was an active parent in support of Mr. Caso and his Boys Chorus program. She worked with all four Directors, and actually traveled on tour with three of us, Jeff Haskell, John Davis and me. It has been rumored that Mr. Caso would not take her on tour with the Chorus because she wouldn’t bow down to him. Both of them were very strong willed people. I suspect that rumor was actually started by Ma herself.

I first met Ma Montgomery in 1978 when John Davis hired me as the Assistant Conductor. She was already an established Boys Chorus legend by that time and worked closely with Dr. Davis and the Touring Chorus.

When I became director in 1980, I was very happy that Ma, accompanist Kristy McCoy and driver Wayne Lequieu were on the travel team as I was young and inexperienced and they had all done this before. They really helped with a smooth transition and educated me on all the Boys Chorus traditions that have been important throughout our history. But as Wayne said……Ma was really the boss.