Paul Montgomery
John Paul Montgomery, 70, passed away Jan. 8, 2023, at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Dallas.
A graveside service was held Saturday, Jan. 14, at Rest Haven Funeral Home in Rockwall.
Paul and his twin sister Paula were born in Corpus Christi Oct. 3, 1952, to parents John Charles and Nelda Faye Montgomery.
In 1971, he graduated from Odom High School and later graduated from Texas A&M University in Kingsville with an Animal Science degree.
Paul worked at the King Ranch in Kingsville in their farming operation until 1981. He then moved to Hamilton, where he worked for Diamond Shamrock, building and developing Riverside Farms. He liked to talk about how Riverside was only raw land, “we didn’t even have a hammer.” Paul was very instrumental in developing it into a large farming and hunting operation. While in Hamilton, he served on numerous boards and organizations and attended the First Baptist Church.
After leaving Riverside Farms, he moved to Rockwall in the early 1990s. There, he opened Kwik Kar Oil Change and Auto Care, which he owned and operated until he retired in 2013.
On May 19, 2005, he married Pam Gifford, and they made Rockwall their home.
He and his wife Pam actively attended the Lakepointe Church in Rockwall for many years. Paul was a very active member of the community, serving on several boards and helped with the youth livestock show for several years. He served on the Rockwall Lions Club board until the time of his death.
His passion for outdoor cooking and traveling led him to Playa del Coco, Costa Rica, where he opened a barbecue restaurant, Taste of Texas. They resided there for eight years. Paul and Pam moved back to Texas after selling his successful restaurant to be close to his grandchildren and family. He couldn’t sit still for long. He became very involved in competing and organizing steak cookoffs. He even qualified to cook in the National Steak cook off. He often told friends and family he was going to do better this year and win it. Most of his free time involved participating in cookoffs and meeting new friends, working in the yard or watching his granddaughters play in different sporting events.
Paul was a great Christian, father, grandfather, husband and friend. He would do anything and everything to help someone and always had a good story to go with it.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, twin sister Paula, son Ash Christian, grandson JD Ensor and very close friend, JT Massingill.
He is survived by his wife Pam Montgomery; son Cash Montgomery and wife Danielle and grandsons Jackson and Brody; daughter Dr. Sara Ensor and husband Jeff and granddaughters Aubrey and Emma; sister Harriett Parker and husband Bob; several nieces and nephews; and many, many friends.
The family welcomes memorials to Rockwall Lions Club.