O. Montgomery Mercedes

Mercedes “Mercy” O. Montgomery, age 73 of Laveen, AZ, died April 22, 2019, in Phoenix, AZ. She was born September 24, 1945 in Linares, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, the oldest daughter of Luis and Angelita Moreno Oviedo. Mercy was a woman of strength, tenacity, and vision. She came to the US as a young girl and because of struggles with the language only finished the fourth grade. As an adult Mercy recognized what she was lacking and worked hard to receive her GED. Her persistence paid off and she was made a manager at Micro Semiconductor where she worked for 36 years.

As the wife of a Vietnam veteran, Mercy joined the VFW Women’s Auxiliary. Her natural leadership ability was soon recognized and she became president of the local auxiliary and eventually was elected to state president. During her tenure as state president, she worked tirelessly to raise money for scholarships as well as for breast cancer awareness. Her dynamic leadership earned her respect from auxiliary members throughout Arizona and the nation and she was presented the President of the Year award.

Mercy was a leader in her home and family, too. Aside from being a daddy’s girl, she was her father’s right hand, sitting with her parents weekly to plan the family budget. Even as a young girl she had a major influence in the financial decisions that her parents made. It was her foresight that convinced her parents to stop renting and purchase a house that would benefit her younger brothers and sisters. The family still owns that house. She was not only a wonderful sister but a second mom to her brothers and sisters. She lovingly planned to take care of her younger brother who was born with Down's syndrome if her parents were to precede him in death. Though she had no children of her own, she lovingly took care of many nieces, nephews and other children that came into her life.

Mercy is survived by her mother, Angelita M. Oviedo; sisters, Maria Esperanza Oviedo, Rosa DelCastillo, Margarita O. Henke; brothers, Jesus M. Oviedo, Ernesto Oviedo, Joe M. Oviedo, Fabian Oviedo, and Luis Oviedo, Jr. She was preceded in death by her husband, James L. Montgomery.

A visitation will be held at 9:30 am, with a rosary at 10:30 am and a mass at 11:00 am, Monday, April 29, 2019, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, 539 E La Pasada Blvd, Goodyear, AZ 85338. The funeral cortege will follow in procession to West Resthaven Cemetery, 6450 W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301.