Miss Meryl Valeva Montgomery, daughter of Robert G. Montgomery, Sr. and Deborah Wharton Montgomery, unexpectedly departed this life on May 28, 2026, after a brief illness. She was 38 years old. Being born with Down Syndrome, she prospered in ways no doctor thought that she would. All seemed to think that Down Syndrome would define and limit her, but Meryl was anything but down and whatever limitations she had were of no consequence to her genuine excitement for life. At 2 years old, she started school at St. Michael's Special School in New Orleans where she was a daily delight to her teachers and classmates. She graduated from St. Michael's Special School, and had begun the next step of life skills training, when Hurricane Katrina uprooted her and her parents, relocating them to Slidell.

Even though this was a major change to Meryl's environment, she showed all around her, once again, how to accept and adjust. She focused only on the simple things that she enjoyed: playing her guitar, doing arts and crafts projects, watching her favorite TV shows, drinking her smoothies that she made for herself, eating pizza and wings for every birthday from her big sister Toni ("Buffalo"), grilling whatever she could on the grill that "Mother" got her for her birthday and spending time with her big brother Bobby ("Dumbo"). How fitting it is that her favorite colors were the colors of the rainbow and her favorite outfit, rainbow tie-dyed!  Escaping the usual societal pressures life can bring, Meryl lived a carefree life, freely and with joy.

Left to cherish Meryl's memory are her parents; Robert G. Montgomery, Sr. and Deborah Wharton Montgomery, her sister; Toni Rousell (Byron, Jr.), her brother; Robert G. Montgomery, Jr. (LaTasha), nieces; Larionne M. Rousell and Ailasia M. Montgomery, nephews; Robert G. Montgomery, III, Taylen, and Taj'e Montgomery, uncles; Wayne Wharton, Sr. and Thomas Montgomery, and aunts; Francesca Wharton, Marsha Montgomery, and Kaaren Montgomery.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the memorial service at HONAKER FUNERAL HOME, 1751 GAUSE Blvd. WEST (IN FOREST LAWN CEMETERY), Slidell, LA on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 12:00 P.M.

Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M until service time.

Officiating is Byron Rousell, Jr.

Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell, LA.