Auctioneer Comas Montgomery dead at age 76 on The Murfreesboro Post

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Auctioneer Comas Montgomery dead at age 76

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By: LISA MARCHESONI, Senior Writer

Posted: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 12:00 pm

Auctioneers and real estate agents remembered Comas Montgomery as a competitor and mentor.

Montgomery, 76, of Comas Montgomery Realty and Auction Co., died Wednesday. He entered the real estate and auctioning business in 1973. He served as president of the Rutherford County Association of Realtors in 1983. Services are pending at Jennings & Ayers Funeral Home.

Auctioneer Stan Vaught of Bob Parks Auction Co. said he knew Montgomery all his life. Montgomery worked as a butcher at the grocery store where his mother shopped and he grew up with Montgomery’s sons, Carl and Charlie.

“He’s been a great competitor and mentor to those of us who are younger in the business,” Vaught said. “He’s of that post World War II generation that grew up to respect and honor and in return, those gentlemen and ladies have given us guidance, patience and understanding.”

Montgomery was innovative in his business, using the buyers’ premium as a marketing tool. He was active in local, state and national real estate and auction associations.

“The very first national Auction Association conferences I went to, the first people I ran into were the Montgomerys,” Vaught remembered. “Comas made me feel at ease being there.”

Montgomery was a good businessman who was straight up. He served people well.

“If we follow the teaching of Christ, he was a servant to us all,” Vaught said. “They’ve been a good family in this community for many, many years. Our hearts go out to Mrs. Montgomery and all their children. They had a good father.”

Montgomery’s son, Carl, said in a statement it was a honor to work hand-in-hand with his father everyday to learn about business.

“He always said to us, ‘If I can leave you anything of value it will be a good name,’ and he did,” Carl Montgomery stated. The verse in Ecclesiastes 7.1 (“A good name is better than fine perfume and the day of death better than the day of birth.”) is appropriate for my father.”

It is very unusual to have a good working relationship with family but the Montgomery family has always worked together in harmony and always will.

“We had a great mentor,” Carl Montgomery said.

Comas Montgomery was a big support of Kittrell School. He liked to say he “graduated from the University of Kittrell.”

Memorials in his name may be made to Kittrell School.

Executive Vice President Candy Joyce of the Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors said she met Montgomery in 1980 when she entered the real estate business.

“He was a very high energy and personable leader,” Joyce said. “He’s always been very welcoming and honest and showed great integrity in his business. His business was a family business and he treated everybody like family.”

As an auctioneer, Montgomery helped customers realize auctions were a first good choice for selling property, not a last chance opportunity, she said. He also had direct sales.

“He was one of the leaders in Internet auction services,” Joyce said. “He’s always included people and encouraged people and enjoyed what he did immensely. He will be missed.”

Tagged under Comas Montgomery, Murfreesboro, Obits

Member Opinions:

By: Momma on 3/3/10
So very sad. Praying for this wonderful family!!

By: Trvlace on 3/3/10
Sad day. Sorry to hear of this community and his families loss.

By: canalou on 3/3/10
Brother Comas is now passing the basketball to little brother Monk as they practice shooting "3-pointers" in heaven...Monk who still holds national roundball high school scoring record, did it without "3-pointers"...the Montgomery family has provided class, compassion and memories unequaled in most other communities...