ROBERT (BOB) WILLOUGHBY MONTGOMERY

Condolences & Memories (2 entries)

• Some of Uncle Bob's contributions in the field of Fiddle Music were: Charter Member of the British Columbia Old Time Fiddlers' Association; Twice Western Canadian Fiddle Champion; Seven-times British Columbia Fiddle Champion; Winner Edmonton's Klondike Days' Golden Fiddle Award. He also judged many Fiddling Contests including the Canadian Grand Masters in Nepean, ON; the Grand North America Fiddle Championship in Alberta; the U.S. National Championship in Weiser, Idaho. He also taught at the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp in SK and the Gavin Lake Fiddle Camps in B.C. Heaven will be a much happier place with his presence! - Posted by: Elaine Montgomery St. George (Niece of Bob Montgomery) on: Feb 19, 2013

• I am serving as commemorator for my late Father, Lorne, #1 of the Montgomery dozen.Here is a Bob story I am sure he would want told. Five Montgomery sons served overseas during WW2. My dad was in the army; Uncle Cecil in the Navy; Uncle Ern, Uncle Don and Uncle Bob in the Air Force. There was not much fiddle-playing during the War years. Uncle Don told me not long ago that, "if you dared mention to anyone in the Services that you played a fiddle, they'd laugh you right off the Base." Years later, Dad was visiting Grandma in Minnedosa and Aunt Bun (9th and youngest sister of Uncle Bob), who had spent most of her childhood playing adjudicator for her three younger brothers' imaginary fiddling contests, mentioned to Dad that Uncle Bob was back playing the fiddle again. When Dad arrived home, he gave Uncle Bob a telephone call. Dad remarked, "I hear you're back playing the fiddle." Uncle Bob replied, "Yes. Every night. To get the young buggers to bed." Dad laughed & laughed. I don't think that was the scenario he had envisaged. Picture this: 4 young boys; BEDTIME; & Uncle Bob and his fiddle. I suppose you could waltz them down the hallway & into the bedroom, perhaps schottishe them into bed, but hand-clapping, toe-tapping jigs & reels wouldn't be very conducive to sleep. Uncle Bob could play just about anything so we often wondered what in his musical repertoire constituted the Knock-Out punch. How do you get 4 young boys to go to sleep? People all over the world have been wanting to solve that problem for millions of years. There are people among us who can give us that answer. "Per ardua ad astra", Uncle Bob. (Through adversity to the stars--Motto of the Royal Air Force). You have met it all at the highest level. He was one of the men who flew into Hell & back to pay the Devil in his own coin. And, thanks for the fine music. - Posted by: Elaine Montgomery St. George (Niece of Bob Montgomery) on: Feb 17, 2013