Joan A. Montenyohl

AIKEN - Joan "Abby" Montenyohl, 91, passed away on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at her daughter's home. A native of Los Angeles, CA, Abby was the daughter of the late George A. Hill, Jr., and Maie Bartlett Hill. Following her graduation from Stanford University in 1943, she enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, being commissioned as Ensign in the WAVES and stationed in San Francisco. Upon being discharged from the military in 1946, Abby married Victor I. Montenyohl, a fellow Stanford graduate who was then in graduate school at Princeton. In 1953, her husband having completed his Ph.D. studies and working as a chemist at Dupont, Abby and her family moved to Aiken where Victor had been transferred to work at the Savannah River Plant. While rearing two sons and a daughter here in Aiken, Abby found an outlet for her interest in music and singing by joining with her husband in becoming a member of her church's choir and of the Aiken Choral Society. She and Vic also served as cast members in local musicals and joined the chorus of the Augusta Opera Association. Her interest in music continued throughout her life, as evidenced by her taking up the playing of an electric keyboard shortly before her 70th birthday. Abby was also deeply involved in local women's golf matters for many years, and will be remembered by many as one of the "Founding Mothers" of the CSRA Women's Golf Association, of which she was the first president. In recognition of her many contributions to women's golf in the Aiken area, the CSRA WGA in 2010 re-named its annual tournament the "Montenyohl Championship Tournament". It was also during this time period that Abby served as president of the South Carolina Senior Women's Golf Association, along with twice serving as president of the Houndslake Women's Golf Association. Throughout her many years in Aiken, Abby was very active in her church's various activities, and in 1977 joined with others to found All Saints' Anglican Church. She was likewise involved with the P.E.O. sisterhood for many years, being a member of Chapter P at the time of her death. In addition to her interest in music and golf, Abby was an inveterate lover of animals, having cats and dogs as pets throughout her life. Along the way, she also found the time to become learned in the field of geology, finding the collecting and indentifying of minerals to be especially fascinating. Throughout the latter years of her life, Abby resided near, and then eventually with her daughter Renee and son-in-law Joe Lamb. She was heard on more than one occasion to say how such a living arrangement gave her great comfort and enriched her quality of life. Survivors include her sons, Victor (Leslie) Montenyohl of Gaithersburg, MD, and Eric (Margaret) Montenyohl of Cary, NC, her daughter Renee Montenyohl (Joe) Lamb of Aiken, SC, her grandchildren, Kimberly Montenyohl, Timothy Monternyohl, Elizabeth Montenyohl and Christopher Montenyohl, and her sister-in-law, Patricia Bostian of Williamsburg, VA. In addition to her parents, Abby was preceded in death by her husband Victor, as well as her older sister, Patricia Howard, and her younger brother, Peter Hill. Funeral services will be held Monday, October 28, 2013 at 1:00 PM at All Saints' Anglican Church, with Father George F. Alexander officiating. Interment will be private. In keeping with Abby's love of animals, it was her wish that memorial contributions be made to the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare, 199 Willow Run Rd., Aiken, SC 29801. The family will receive friends from 5-7 PM Sunday, October 27, at SHELLHOUSE-RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, INC., 715 E. PINELOG RD., AIKEN, SC Please visit her online guestbook at shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joan A. Montenyohl, please visit our flower store.