Obituary of William Paul Montamble

WIILIAM PAUL MONTAMBLE January 13, 1931 – April 25, 2020 William P. “Bill” Montamble died on April 25, 2020 of natural causes. He was born on Friday, January 13, 1931 in Chicago Illinois to Philip Montamble and Alice Aladalo. He was the third of three boys. The family moved to Lead, South Dakota before he was one when his father obtained work in the gold mine. When he was in middle school, the family moved to San Diego, but he moved back to Lead after his parents divorced. He graduated from Lead High School in 1949. He attended New Mexico A&M College (later New Mexico State University) in Las Cruces where he was instrumental is establishing the college’s first baseball team, the Aggies, and served as first baseman and team captain. He was also a member of Theta Chi fraternity. He graduated in 1953 with a BS in Physical Education. From 1954 through 1956 he served in the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant and was stationed at Rhein-Main AFB near Frankfurt, Germany, where he coached both basketball and football and spent his leave exploring Europe. In 1957, he received a master’s degree in physical education from the University of Nevada at Reno where he was also the graduate coaching assistant to Coach Jake Lawlor. Following that, he landed a job as head coach of the basketball team at Antelope Valley College after sending applications out to 100 schools across the United States. At that time, the team still practiced in the gym at Antelope Valley High School and he shared the gym with then AVHS Coach Jerry Tarkanian. The highlight of his coaching career came in 1968 when his team won the State Consolation Championship and following the win, the team shaved his head as he promised they could do if they won! He maintained friendships with many of his former players and students throughout his lifetime. Around 1972, he was promoted to Dean of Student Activities (later Vice President of Student Activities) in which he oversaw the athletic department, student government and other activities at the college. He also worked tirelessly to raise money for the Marauder Club benefitting AVC athletics, and brainstormed fundraising events such as the annual $10,000 Dinner, Chicken Poop Bingo, Rolling of the Balls, Frog Jumping Contest, and many more. He was always saying, “I have an idea.” He married his first wife Barbara in 1961 and they had one daughter, Sally Jo. He married his second wife, Lois, in 1989 and she preceded him in death in 2011. He retired in 1989 and it was around this time that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. But he never let that stop him. He and Lois spent the next several years travelling around the US and Europe together. He was never happier than when he was fishing, golfing, traveling, playing craps or thinking up new games. He enjoyed making people laugh and was known for throwing great parties, and always wanted everyone around him to have a good time. He spent more than 50 years as resident of the Antelope Valley where he made many lifelong friends and was very active in the community. He will be sorely missed. He is survived by his daughter, Sally Jo, step-children Caryn, Valerie (Derald) and Tim (Myrna), and several nieces and nephews and numerous step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A time and place for a Celebration of Life will be announced in the future. Donations in his name to the AVC Classified Personnel Recognition Fund would be greatly appreciated. Please mail checks, made out to AVC Foundation (put on the memo line: “Classified Recognition Fund”), to AVC Foundation, 3041 West Avenue K, Lancaster, CA, 93536.