Outdoor Report

Never forget the Angel of Powell

Posted 7/12/22

Celza “Sally” Olveda Montoya was laid to rest Saturday at Crown Hill Cemetery after a lively ceremony at the Nelson Performing Arts Auditorium. There was laughter, singing and many tears …

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Outdoor Report

Never forget the Angel of Powell

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Celza “Sally” Olveda Montoya was laid to rest Saturday at Crown Hill Cemetery after a lively ceremony at the Nelson Performing Arts Auditorium. There was laughter, singing and many tears during the ceremony, much like Sally would have wanted when she planned her own funeral.

Sally was a planner. Over the past years she prepared volumes of directions, instructions and wishes to help her “elves” carry on after her passing. She also put pen to paper to her son Michael and wife Sarah about how her celebration of life should be handled. Everything from the music to her attendees. But she survived most on her list, dying one day short of her 92nd birthday.

One of her favorite songs, La Bamba by Ritchie Valens, was played twice — much to the happy surprise of those in attendance. Folks sang and cheered as the song made its second appearance. It was Sally’s hope those grieving would find some joy in the ceremony. As usual, her family, friends and dedicated volunteers followed her wishes.

Helen Steiner Rice wrote in a poem (which Sally selected): “When I must leave you for a little while, please do not grieve and shed wild tears and hug your sorrow through the years.”

Montoya’s musical selections, put together by Michael, helped soothe those in need of comfort, much in the same way her mission helped those in need of a hand up during tough times. She spent her entire adult life helping those less fortunate, many of whom were in attendance. She volunteered to help anyone in need. Her choice for the music at her funeral was no less helpful than her 70 years of running the Powell Christmas Basket Program, 30 years in the Powell school system, combined 35 years as a Girl and Cub Scout leader and leadership on countless committees and councils. 

Those who loved her needed a reason to smile on this sad occasion. She anticipated their needs and went to work to find a solution. Sally knew a lot about loss, having lost two daughters, her husband and countless friends before her passing.

The ashes of her daughters, contained in two small urns, were in her hands when she was laid to rest next to her husband Emil Saturday.

As the music played, Dave Blevins was tapping his toes. Seeing him enjoy the tune — a departure from traditional funeral music — brought a smile to attendees. Sally planned for Blevins to give the eulogy. He spent more than 30 years volunteering to lead the Powell Council of Community Services, which put him and Sally in the same meetings.

“True heroes never advertise or draw attention to themselves, rather they simply continue to quietly go on their way. Sally is our hero,” Blevins said in his eulogy.

He fought back tears as he spoke. Blevins and Montoya didn’t always see eye to eye, but their missions were the same. Blevins has always done everything in his power to avoid prying questions and to turn the spotlight on others in his decades of volunteer pursuits. 

In the same way, Sally would point to her crew of volunteers rather than discuss her own contributions. 

“How a community cares for the poor says something about the quality life of all its citizens. Generations of Powell’s less-fortunate citizens needed not to look any further than Sally Montoya,” Blevins said.

As both retired from their long years service, others stepped up. Terry and Jan Cronin, Howard and Ann Sanders, and Donna Putney and Mike Giese took on the Christmas tradition of giving those most in need a wonderful Christmas. Shane Legler, pastor at the Garland Community Church of God is the chairman the Powell Cares Alliance board (under the umbrella of the Powell Ministerial Association), who have carried on the work of the Council of Community Services, which offers to help those during desperate times. The first point of contact is the Powell Police Department.

Others are on the right path toward community service. Josh and Talan Ashcraft have been inspired to help since they were too young for many to take them seriously. But in the same way that racism didn’t stop Montoya, the brothers never allowed their years on earth to stop them from volunteering their time after being inspired into service after Ethan Asher suffered life-threatening injuries in a car accident in the fall of 2019.

There are too many others willing to help to mention here. Hopefully there will always be a sense of community spirit in this town. It’s a large part of what makes Powell special. 

Through all the political vitriol and neighborhood disputes, the ability for the community to put them aside to help those in need is inspiring. Yet, there is a lot of work to do and, like Montoya and Blevins, there are only so many willing to dedicate their blood, sweat and tears to make it happen.

There should be a statue of Montoya erected in this town as both a celebration of her selfless giving and a reminder of what is important; kindness in the community.

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