He dated Cher and Elizabeth Dole (then Hansford). He has been a confidant to presidents. Over 250 current Mississippi State students owe their college funding to him. He rivals former Sen. John Stennis and John Grisham as MSU’s most famous alumnus.
And now, former 3rd District Rep. G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery will have a life-size bronze statue of him placed between McCool and Allen halls.
“This is one of the highlights of my life,” Montgomery said to a packed crowd in the John Grisham Room Thursday.
Student Association President Josh Blades and SA Sen. Edward Sanders announced fundraising for the $66,000 project would begin immediately. The fundraising campaign would focus on alumni and Montgomery’s friends in Mississippi and Washington D.C., said SA Assistant Chief of Staff Brian Freedman.
The announcement came as a several speakers paid tribute to Montgomery as a part of the Morris W.H. “Bill” Collins Speaker Series. Among the many speakers were his former press secretary Kyle Steward, MSU classmate Dave “Boo” Ferriss and former Meridian Mayor Al Rosenbaum.
All the speakers commended Montgomery for his work to improve Mississippi.
Lamar McDonald, who works for the Navy’s training base in Meridian, said that Montgomery has been able to keep Mississippi military bases off the closure list by pure determination.
“He sat in the front row (of base closure committee meetings) and stared down the committee members for every meeting,” he said.
Sonny Montgomery will be best remembered for his work on behalf of veterans, specifically the Montgomery GI Bill, said his former campaign manager and chief of staff, Bob Montgomery. Sonny Montgomery spent a total of eight years fighting for the GI Bill, Bob Montgomery said.
“It’s been the best recruitment tool for our all-volunteer military,” he said. Over 250 current MSU student attend school on the GI Bill.”
Many speakers commented on Montgomery’s renown as a ladies’ man. Montgomery is a lifelong bachelor.
Rosenbaum said Montgomery had been a hotel bellhop when was a boy and majored in hotel management at MSU.
“He wanted to run the hotel. He particularly like the nightlife at the hotel,” he said.
Ann Buffington, who worked for both Montgomery and U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) said Montgomery’s most memorable date may have been with Cher in the 1980s. “Sonny, being the nice gentleman he is, spent the whole evening looking for her other earring, only to find that she was only wearing one,” she said.
Bob Montgomery pointed out that Sonny Montgomery’s MSU roots run deep.
His grandfather played a major role in making Starkville the home of the university. Montgomery Hall is named for the grandfather, Bob Montgomery said.
Steward said Montgomery represented the best of MSU and Congress.
“Sonny Montgomery gives politics a good name,” he said.