Karen Montague is a large part of the reason Melanie Dunne is a teacher today.
The longtime friends met in the late 鈥90s after Dunne was hired as an educational assistant with the 海角社区官网District School Board. Montague quickly took Dunne under her wing.
鈥淲e were colleagues, but in a lot of ways I was also one of her students,鈥 Dunne told the Star in an email exchange. 鈥淪he taught me to teach with kindness and patience and to always have a sense of humour.鈥
Montague died in hospital on Nov. 15 after police allege a driver intentionally rammed into her and two others in a parking lot outside an east-end apartment building. She was 61.
The two surviving victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.
Montague, a special-education teacher, encouraged Dunne to apply to teachers鈥 college. The women worked together for seven years before Dunne began teaching abroad. They remained friends ever since.
鈥淪he was super smart and witty. We were always laughing,鈥 Dunne said.
A wife and mother to an adult son, Montague was devoted to her students and cherished her time with loved ones, friends and colleagues, . 鈥淗er smile and laughter lit up a room, and she was always the first to help family or friends that needed her,鈥 it says.
Montague received her Bachelor of English and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of 海角社区官网before earning special education qualifications from Nipissing University, the obituary says.
She was much loved by her students and colleagues, said Carolyn Hill, a longtime friend who worked with Montague at Sir Robert L. Borden Business and Technical Institute 鈥 which shut down in 2016 鈥 for nearly 13 years. 鈥淪he was an extraordinary teacher, wife and mother to her son. Her students always came first,鈥 Hill said.
Eric Willie met Montague and her husband in a 海角社区官网gym more than 30 years ago. 鈥淥ne thing led to another, and we became the best of friends,鈥 the 64-year-old said, adding the trio stayed close after he moved to Saskatchewan.
Still reeling over the news about her death, Willie is remembering Montague as a 鈥渉ilarious鈥 person who adored her son, dog and husband.
鈥淪he was so fun to be around. She was a special person.鈥
Reached by the Star, Montague鈥檚 family declined to comment.
Police were called to the apartment complex at 250 Cassandra Blvd. after residents reported hearing screaming in the parking lot followed by a rush of sirens.
Ciro Garofano, 79, is charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Investigators allege he 鈥渋ntentionally struck鈥 the three victims with this car, saying Garofano had a 鈥渇amilial connection鈥 to them. Police did not disclose the exact nature of the connection, nor any motive.
Dunne, who moved abroad years ago, said she鈥檚 grateful for her last visit with Montague this past summer and will never forget her encouragement and mentorship. 鈥淚 will continue to try and teach with kindness, patience and humour in your honour,鈥 she said.
Funeral services for Montague have not been announced. Her obituary asks that donations in her memory be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation