June Naomi Hitchcock Montz's Obituary
June N. Montz, 90, passed away peacefully at Brandywine Assisted Living at Fenwick Island, DE, on August 13, 2023 surrounded by family and caregivers after a cerebral hemorrhage. She was born in Dover, Delaware on June 21, 1933 to Charles and Catherine (Carey) Hitchcock. She is now in Heaven, with her husband, and the love of her life, Walter Montz.
She graduated from Dover High School in 1951 and was married to Walt on June 20, 1951, the day before her 18th birthday. Because she was legally underage, her parents had to sign her marriage certificate, making her a “child-bride”. The reason for this was that Walt had been drafted into the Army during the Korean War and had to leave the day after their wedding for Basic Training in Fort Jackson, SC.
After marrying, June worked at a bank, Playtex International and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Dover in a variety of clerical/secretarial positions. She and Walt started and operated an offset printing business, The Print Shop, for many years. After her children left home, she devoted herself to Walt as a housewife and partner.
She enjoyed camping and spent many weekends at Indian River Inlet, Delaware, swimming, sunbathing, and spending time with her family. She also had a number of interests including gardening and flower arranging, where she was active in a local flower club. She enjoyed quilting and needlepoint, which she continued to the end of her life. For a number of years, she attended line-dancing classes when line-dancing was in vogue. June and Walt loved attending dances and dinners at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover and dinners out with Walt’s “coffee-club” buddies and their wives.
She regularly attended exercise classes in Dover and she continued walking around the building at Brandywine after she moved there in 2017. Everyone knew her as “The Walker” because she had a bad day when she could not walk around the building at least once!
Montz was proceeded in death by her parents, Charles Hitchcock and Catherine Carey Hitchcock Wilson, brother Charles “Sonny” Hitchcock, brother David Hitchcock, and a daughter, Patricia L. Montz. Her beloved husband, Walter, passed away 54 days prior to her death. Many who knew her believed she died of a “broken heart”. She is survived by two sisters, Charlotte Holloway, of Bridgeville, DE and Edythe (George) Kohut of Felton, DE. She is also survived by a son, Walter “Ed” Montz and wife Deborah, of Bethany Beach Delaware and a granddaughter, Heather Pearce, of Bethany Beach.
Montz will be interred with her husband at the Veteran’s Cemetery, Millsboro, DE. Services will be private for the family. The family would like to express their sincerest appreciation to the caring staff at Brandywine for the wonderful care they gave to both June and Walt during their 5 ½ years at the facility. Delaware Hospice gave compassionate care to June during her final days. Donations are not sought, but if desired, contributions can be made to Delaware Hospice. Letters of condolences may be sent to www.traderfh.com
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