Monty and Joan Montgomery have spent their lives taking steady steps forward — through innings, careers, and more than five decades of marriage.
Before all of it, Monty was a standout athlete in Albemarle, North Carolina. In the early 1960s, he excelled in football, basketball, and baseball at Albemarle Senior High School. But it was on the mound where his future started to take shape.
At Pfeiffer College, playing under legendary coach Joe Ferebee, Monty built an impressive record: 18 wins and 3 losses overall, a 10-1 season in 1967, and a 0.62 ERA that same year. He earned All-Conference and NAIA All-State honors, and was named an Honorable Mention All-American. By the time the Kansas City Royals picked him in their first amateur draft in 1968, Monty had learned the value of hard work and consistency — lessons that would shape the rest of his life.
Joan was at Pfeiffer too, studying elementary education. They met, they dated, and by graduation, they were engaged, ready to build a future together.
Monty made his major league debut in 1971. He went 3-0 with a 2.11 ERA in three appearances, striking out 12 batters over just 21 innings. In 1972, after some time at Triple-A Omaha, he returned to Kansas City, posting a 3-3 record across nine games. That year, he pitched a four-hit shutout against the California Angels — a career highlight he still remembers well.
But pitching is a fragile career. By 1973, pain had started in his shoulder. Monty pushed through it for as long as he could, never missing a start, but by 1974, after helping Jacksonville win the Southern League championship, he knew it was time to step away.
During off-seasons, both he and Joan had been preparing for life after baseball. They earned master’s degrees at Appalachian State — Monty in history, Joan in special education — and when baseball ended, they moved to Joan’s hometown of Martinsville, Virginia.
Monty taught high school history and coached baseball. Joan built a career in public education that would span more than three decades. Along the way, she earned her doctorate in Educational Leadership from Virginia Tech — a milestone that qualified her to serve as a school principal. “There are only six schools in the Martinsville district, and I was principal at five of them,” Joan said. “Now it’s not unusual, but back then, it was rare for a woman. You had to be tough.”
They built a life rooted in public service, family, and community.
Monty stayed close to the game he loved, coaching youth baseball, American Legion teams, and collegiate summer ball with the Martinsville Mustangs. His contributions to baseball were recognized with inductions into the Pfeiffer Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Stanly County Hall of Fame in 2002.
After nearly 30 years working in the textile industry, Monty retired. Joan followed soon after, and they set a new goal: visit every Major League Baseball stadium in the United States and Canada. Last summer, they crossed the final one off their list.
Looking Ahead to Life After Retirement
They knew they didn’t want to leave their future to chance. After watching friends and family wait too long to make a move, they decided to take control.
“We said, let’s put ourselves somewhere while we still can,” Joan says.
King’s Grant had always been on their radar — and once they took a closer look, the choice felt easy. They moved in six years ago.
Their home, a bright and open cottage, feels tucked away in a quiet corner of campus. Geese fly overhead. Neighbors walk by with a wave. “It’s like living in a little resort,” Joan says, smiling.
Their children — one in Charlotte, one in Wilmington — visit often. When they first toured King’s Grant, Monty and Joan were honest with them: “The good news is, you won’t have to take care of us,” Joan said. “The bad news is, we’re probably using your inheritance.” The kids were fine with it.
This is not a passive retirement. They walk every day. They go to the gym. Joan teaches master’s-level students online through the University of Phoenix. Monty still plays golf, travels with their son to tournaments, and occasionally coaches college pitchers.
Every week, baseball cards show up in the mail from fans asking for Monty’s signature. He signs every one.
At King’s Grant, they found more than a home — they found a real community. Joan now serves as chair of the Residents’ Council, helping field questions and concerns.
“In six years, I haven’t met a single staff member who wasn’t respectful and kind,” Monty says. “That matters more than people realize.”
They don’t call this chapter retirement. They call it a choice.
“You can wait too long,” Joan says. “We wanted to move while we could still live the life we wanted, not just get by.”
It’s the same philosophy that carried them from the pitcher’s mound to the principal’s office to their quiet corner at King’s Grant:
You show up early.
You take the field while you still can.
And you play every inning like it counts.
