Robert A "Butch" Montgomery

Weslaco- 

 Robert Allan (Butch) Montgomery was born on May 15, 1941 in Edinburg, Texas. He lived his life as a proud Texan and citizen of the Rio Grande Valley. His parents, Waldo and Barbara Montgomery, gave him a positive outlook on life, a strong faith, and a quick wit that enabled him to connect with people from many different walks of life. 

Butch grew up in Weslaco, enjoying school life as a choir member, flautist, and bass drummer in the original Weslaco High School Band. He was a Sea Scout and worked in his father’s citrus orchards and at the Panthers Den Cafe.

In the 1960s, Butch joined the United States Navy and traveled throughout the world as a shipboard radio operator. During his five years of service, he worked in embassies around the Pacific region. He relished his time exploring that part of the world but was glad to come home to Texas to start his sales career while earning his history, speech, and business degree at Pan American University.

Over six decades, Butch worked for a variety of businesses, including Crown Zellerbach (Gaylord Container), Lacks Furniture, Burton’s Bearing and Industrial, Alde Water Technology, Midland Research, Ecolab and Garrett Callahan. Valued for his unique perspective, Butch especially enjoyed getting to know his customers and exploring ways to solve problems.

1967, Butch met Sally Jo Long at a Christian Endeavor Workers conference in Leakey, Texas. When she rebuffed his first proposal, he put his refined sales skills to work and convinced her to marry him in June 1969. Butch and Sally loved traveling and working together on projects. They were active members of the Weslaco Tower Theatre and Lions Club. Their biggest project was SJs Limited Editions, the gift and decorative accessory store they opened in 1980. Butch and Sally restored and converted a family home into a special shopping experience; people from all over the Rio Grande Valley enjoyed it for 24 years.

Butch and Sally had a blessed opportunity and became parents to Samantha as Butch was a loving dad and her trusted advisor. He took great pride in being her father as he nurtured his bond with her through adulthood. With the arrival of Samantha’s children, Butch and Sally became the proud grandparents to Daphne and Nico.

Butch enjoyed being around young people. His offbeat observations and humor tinged with sarcasm entertained and enlightened his nieces and nephews and the other young people he and Sally took under their wing. In 2002, they hosted exchange students, Linda Brede from Norway and Emilia Lopatka from Poland, who became a part of their family as well.

Throughout his life, Butch was an active member of his church congregations at First Christian Church, Weslaco and Faith Christian Church in Harlingen. He was a deacon and an elder, led Sunday school classes and youth groups, sang in the choir and led the congregational singing. Serving on a variety of church committees, he was known for being an encourager to others and someone who can find the humor in almost any situation.

Butch will be greatly missed by his family, church family, and all those lives were touched by him. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Sally Jo Montgomery, daughter Samantha Valdez and grandchildren Daphne and Nico Salinas; brother and sister-in-law Ralph and Shirley Montgomery; Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law Edgar John and Irene Findeisen; sister-in-law Sandy Findeisen, and loving nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Waldo and Barbara Montgomery and his sister and brother-in-law Janie and Pat Pate.

A celebration of Butch’s life will be held at Faith Christian Church in Harlingen on January 18, 2025 at 11 am. Family and Friends are invited to join in honoring Butch’s memory and the impact he had on all who knew him.

For anyone who wishes to make a donation in honor of Butch’s memory, his favorite charities were

Faith Christian Church/Missions 
421 S. 13th
Harlingen, Tx. 78550 

Casas Por Christo
P.O. Box 971070
El Paso, Tx. 79997

Tanglewood Christian Camp
P.O. Box 128 
Lexington, Tx 78947 

Gideons International
C/O The Gideons
P. O. Box 290
Harlingen, Tx 78551