December 21, 2011

Anne Rockeman Montgomery

Army aviator Captain Anne Rockeman Montgomery died Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, as the result of a helicopter training accident at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Wash. She was 25.
Anne was born Oct. 1, 1986 in Comayaguela, Honduras to Kurt Rockeman, a U.S. Foreign Service officer, and Kathleen Joslyn Rockeman. She grew up in Honduras, Somalia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and graduated from high school in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Anne was a proud legal resident of North Dakota, though, and cherished many visits through the years with her extended family in McKenzie County, and near Donnybrook.
Anne attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and majored in foreign languages. Upon graduation in 2008 she was assigned to her passion, aviation. It was during flight training at Fort Rucker, Ala., that she met fellow Army pilot CW2 Aaron H. “Monty” Montgomery. They were married on May 28, 2010, in Alabama. In November 2010, they were posted to Joint Base Lewis-McChord where they both flew Kiowa OH-58 scout helicopters.
Anne is survived by her beloved husband, Monty of Tacoma; her parents, Kurt and Kathleen Rockeman of Nairobi, Kenya; brothers Gus and Christian of Nairobi; sister Geneva Rockeman of Springfield, Missouri; parents-in-law Levi (Cathy) Montgomery of Blaine, Wash.; uncles Keith Rockeman of Grassy Butte, N.D., Ken (Becky) Rockeman of Big Timber, Mont., Dale (Rodia) Joslyn of Austin, Texas, Joseph (Bonnie) Joslyn of Madison, Wisc., Mark (Annette) Rockeman of Donnybrook, N.D.; aunts Kim (David) Proffitt of Mankato, Minn., Carolyn (Robert) Neumann of Castroville, Texas, Maureen (Dan) Pipinich of Honolulu, Hawaii; grandmothers Ivy Joslyn of Great Falls, Mont. and Betty Stone-Chisholm of Hamilton, Mont.; great-aunts Connie Bruins of Watford City, N.D. and Elvina Rockeman of Donnybrook, N.D., and twenty cousins. Anne was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Lloyd Rockeman and Art Joslyn.
Annie was bright, brave, strong, loyal and generous, a credit to her family and her country. She was dearly loved and will be deeply missed. The family suggests memorials may be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity close to her soldier’s heart, at www.woundedwarrior.org. Wounded Warrior Project4899 Belfort Rd, Ste 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256.

WATFORD CITY WEATHER