Obituary of Barbara Podlas Montague

Barbara Podlas Montague Allegany, NY-- Barbara Podlas Montague of 2859 Five Mile Rd. died Tuesday (August 16, 2005) in the Olean General Hospital after a long struggle with cancer. Born February 19, 1945 in Bradford, PA she was the daughter of Stephen S. and Ruth Hannon Podlas. On August 30, 1969 at St. Bernard’s Church in Bradford, PA she married Clint L. Montague who survives. Mrs. Montague attended Bradford schools and then received her BS degree from Carlow College (formerly Mt. Mercy College) in Pittsburgh. She earned her Masters in Speech Pathology at Buffalo State University. She worked for ten years in Pittsburgh for Allegheny Intermediate Unit 3, then for 7 years as a speech pathologist for the Rehabilitation Center in Allegany. She was most recently employed by BOCES in Olean for 19 years, retiring 2 years ago due to disability. Mrs. Montague was a member of St. Bonaventure Church where she served as a religious education teacher for two years and also as a eucharistic minister. She also belonged to Cornerstone. She was a member of the American Speech and Hearing Association and she loved gardening and cultural arts. Surviving besides her husband are 2 daughters Natalie (Taylor Tomljenovich) Montague of Olean and Lindsay Montague at home; 1 granddaughter; 1 sister Ruth Ann Smith of Cheektowaga; 1 brother Stephen H. (Nanci) Podlas of Amherst and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents she was predeceased by a sister Judy Podlas on December 23, 1938. Friends will be received at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 W. State Rd. Olean on Friday from 2-4 & 7-9pm. Funeral services will be held Saturday (August 20, 2005) beginning with a prayer service at 9:30am in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Bonaventure Church. Rev. Thomas R. Smith, nephew to Mrs. Montague, will be the celebrant in the absence of Rev. Richard Husted, OFM. Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society 101 John James Audubon Parkway W. Amherst, NY 14221.