A Life Story
Henry “Bruce” Montgomery, III was born November 15, 1939, in Atlanta, Georgia, to H. Bruce Montgomery Jr. and Anne Wynn Fleming Montgomery. Bruce was a graduate of Westminster in Atlanta and the University of Georgia, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree and, more importantly, met Bette Frost “Frosty” Montgomery. They married on August 21, 1965, beginning a 61-year marriage and a life together built on deep affection, mutual respect and family. Together they raised two daughters, Cameron Montgomery McGregor and Anne Montgomery van Gerpen. Having been given daughters rather than sons, Bruce apparently saw no reason to alter the curriculum. He taught them how to move through the world with the confidence that they could figure things out for themselves. Later came his five beloved grandchildren who extended the family story another generation. Bruce’s esteemed career spanned commercial property management and later, financial advising with Stifel. Service was one of the defining themes of his life. He chaired Savannah’s Housing Authority, co-founded the Ardsley Park Neighborhood Association and served as a Rotary District Governor. A Paul Harris Fellow five times over, he received Rotary’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026. He treasured his memberships in Atlanta’s Piedmont Driving Club and Savannah’s Century and Oglethorpe Clubs. To Bruce, these were more than clubs. They represented friendships, traditions, and a sense of belonging to places and people he loved. Bruce lived a life rooted in family, service and tradition. In fact, the history of our family can largely be reconstructed by what car Bruce was driving at the time. Vacations were measured in mileage, directions were serious business, and there was rarely any mystery about precisely how many miles remained before arrival. Long before Google Maps could tell us where we were, Bruce could. He valued history, both the kind found in books and the kind accumulated by a family over a lifetime. He believed in showing up, doing what you said you would do, knowing how to fix things, serving your community, and leaving things a little better than you found them. Bruce is survived by Frosty, his wife of 61 years; his daughters, Cameron McGregor (Jamie) of Springfield, OH and Anne van Gerpen (Jay) of Huntsville, AL; his grandchildren, Bruce Renner, Jack Renner, Elisabeth McGregor, Henry McGregor, and Charlotte McGregor; his sister, Jan Montgomery Wellon (Rob) of Atlanta; and his brother, Mike Montgomery (Kay) of Duluth, GA. More than anything, we will carry forward the values by which he lived: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? For Bruce, those were never merely questions recited at a Rotary meeting. They were a pretty good way to live a life. And what an extraordinary life his was. Services will be held at St. John’s Church in Savannah, Georgia at 11:00am on Tuesday, October 20. Reception to follow at the Green-Meldrim House. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John’s Church or Savannah Rotary East (Club 6920).