Friends throughout the state of Texas Swimming,

Our dear friend, Dr. Steve Montgomery, passed away today. He lived an amazing life, accomplished so much, and the swimming world mourns. He was prepared for a better place and ending his suffering. He gave so much of his time and energy and was instrumental in the resurrection of the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame as our executive director since 2008 and was inducted as a Texas Legend into the TSDHOF in 2016.

From his obituary:

Dr. Stephen “Coach” Boyd Montgomery, 86, passed away at home on February 21, 2023 in Spring, TX. Steve impacted the lives of countless people through his dedication and achievements in the Army reserves, as a teacher and perhaps most notably as a Christian, as a Coach, and as a Friend.

Steve’s surviving family members are his loving wife Carol Montgomery of 34 years, his son William Montgomery, his daughters Tina Gammill and Gina Allen, as well as 8 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

Steve enlisted in the national guard as an E2 combat engineer in 1955. Over the years he advanced to the rank of E7 and left the guard in 1967. Then, after a 10-year absence from the military, he served in the Army Reserves from 1977 to 1989, advancing along the way to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

While serving in the guard, Stephen also worked as a teacher and coach. His educational background includes a PhD from Texas A&M (He was a proud Aggie and wore their colors above all else). Stephen initially coached football, but made a major mark with his coaching of swimming. He started coaching swimming in the mid- 1960's at Pasadena High School, started the Bayshore Swim Club, and by 1972, became the assistant coach of Texas A&M University and head coach of the B&CS Swim Club. Over the years, many state champions were coached by Stephen Montgomery. He received numerous awards over the years including the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (NISCA) Outstanding Service Award in 2002, induction into the Legends of Texas Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Texas Swimming and Diving hall of Fame in 2016. Most recently, in 2023, Steve will be the first recipient of a new award that was created in his honor, The Dr. Steve Montgomery Outstanding Service Award from the Texas Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association (TISCA). He is affectionately referred to as "Coach" by many of his former swimmers- and when asked how they would describe him, the responses were: Friend, Father-figure, Mentor, Encourager, “The world is a better place because of him”, and “He saved my life”.

As Dr. Montgomery spent the bulk of his life in east Texas, it was hard to not see how many people he knew. At restaurants and while traveling, it wasn't uncommon for people to come up to him and talk about the influence he had on their lives. He was always happy to visit with people. When he wasn't working, Steve spent a lot of time with the Kiwanis organization and with his church family at The Woodlands Christian Church.

After retiring from coaching, Steve worked many years at Daktronics, a company that makes the scoreboards for natatoriums and other sports facilities. He travelled about the country representing the company at various swim centers and events. He maintained his passion for sports throughout his life. When he left Daktronics a few years ago, he regularly watched baseball, football and golf on television and at times would coach the players from his armchair.

Steve Montgomery was a Christian, a patriot, a veteran, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a teacher, a coach, and a friend. His passing leaves a big hole in our hearts, but we can confidently say that this is not “good-bye”. Steve- we will miss you dearly, and will strive to honor you by paying it forward and continuing your life of service until we meet again.

A Celebration of Life will be held at The Woodlands Christian Church on Wednesday, March 1. Visitation will begin at 9:00am, with the Service at 10:00am. Interment will follow at Chalk Cemetery in Trinity, TX, where he will receive a military honors ceremony.