Steven Rashawn Montgomery

Posted on December 28, 2022

Steven Rashawn Montgomery was born on Friday, March 15, 1968, at Doctors’ Memorial Hospital in Perry and he departed this life on Friday, Dec 16, 2022, at Harbor Grace Hospice in Atlanta, Ga., with his sister, Monica, and friend, Dexter, at his bedside. Steve’s journey began with an easy entrance into what would be a life full of adventure and fulfillment to Ellen Montgomery and Walter Thorpe. He was raised in the East Perry Community and attended the Taylor County school system where he graduated from Taylor County High School (TCHS) Class of 1986. During this time in school, he played the tuba in the Taylor County band where he served as the band caption in his senior year. He was an active member of Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, Who’s Who Among High School Students and a recipient of the North Florida Junior College award. As a kid, he was soft spoken, but very intelligent, neat, organized, always showed great tenacity and integrity with a settle, but great sense of humor. He had a beautiful tenor voice and would sing throughout the community with the Magic Voices Quartet under the direction of Sister Jeanette Sneed and with the TICO Youth Choir under the direction of Elder Carolyn Demps. He was a member of New Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; there he served as a choir member and a junior usher. During his senior year in high school in April 1986, Stevie committed to serve in the Marine Corps. Soon after graduation, he began training at Parris Island, S.C., and served in the reserve for eight years. In April 1994, he was honorably discharged. It was in the military that he learned even more discipline and decided to further his education. Steve would begin that journey at Florida A&M University with a focus in architecture engineering. While on break, he took a summer job in Atlanta and felt at home in the beautiful city making it his permanent residence in 1989. a In 1995, he obtained bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Georgia State University. Later, he graduated from J. Mack Robinson College of Business in Atlanta. Steven obtained a job at Sprint Nextel and held positions in inside account sales, account and project management, telecommunications and account manager. For those who Steve allowed in his circle, they found that he was a private person but never too private when lending a hand or a word of advice and many times that advice came with a straight face, a slick profound statement then a big laugh afterwards! Steve was a jack-of many-trades. He had a love for renovating and restoring things; a true love and respect for working with his hands. He believed in perfection, being fit and looking good all the time. He would travel and learn of new places; he would run on marathons, helped within his community, meet new people and make lifelong friends. He was like a brother to many, but a true brother to his siblings, earning the nickname “Superman” for his sudden ability to fly across the room in his pjs and cape to help resolve an altercation. Always showing his love, support and dedication to his family. Many relatives preceded him in death, but to mention a few: Clora Ellen Pridgeon, Helen Smith, Perry Lee, Tamara Guillory and Leon Smith Sr. He leaves a lifetime of memories to: his mother, Ellen Smith; siblings, Monica Smith, Kamaal Arshad (Amira), Mia Smith-August (Daryl, Sr.), Voilandra Smith, Leon Smith, Waltis Thorpe Gadsden (Frederick), June Thorpe, Scott Thorpe and Tova Thorpe; aunts, Mildred Brandon (Henry), Wilma Brown, Phyllis Smith, Ruby Clayton (Lewis), Annie Montgomery, Maggie Montgomery, Cynthia Montgomery, Angela Williams (Eric), Nicole Montgomery, Danica Britt and Barbara Williams; uncles, Charles Montgomery (Addie), Pastor Izell Montgomery Jr., Nathan Smith Sr. Trinity Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements. (Renee), Conrad Smith, James Montgomery, Willis Montgomery (Elaine), Isaac Montgomery (Lisa), Gavin Britt (Keyonna) and Olin Lee (Colette); 19 nieces and nephews; seven grandnieces and nephews; and a host of loving relatives and friends. Public visitation will be held Thursday, Dec. 29, from 5-7 p.m. at New Mount Zion M.B. Church A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, Dec. 30, at 1 p.m. at Mount Olive M.B. Church.