Montez Bogan Gore Cole, 89 of Hattiesburg, MS, formally of Vicksburg, MS, joined her love ones in heaven on Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in Paragould, Ark. on Oct. 25, 1931, to Humphrey and Claudia Bogan. She was the fifth of seven children.

Montez was married to James Monroe Gore of Bridgeport, Texas on Dec. 31, 1950. Together they raised two daughters, Lisa Gore and Sherry Gore Duff in Vicksburg. Montez worked as a substitute teacher at the former Carr Jr. and H.V. Cooper High School. She later went on to teach physical education at Eliza Fox Elementary and volunteered as a basketball and softball coach at the downtown YMCA. She also pioneered a women’s exercise group at Porter’s Chapel Academy. She discovered her love of fashion by working with her friends at Georgia Loe’s in the Battlefield Mall and then went on to become the manager of Regent’s Shoes and Sportswear. Montez was a volunteer of many organizations including all room mother assignments, the March of Dimes and vacation Bible School and Northview United Methodist Church.

In the mid-1980s, she met and married Jack Cole from Little Rock, Ark. While in Little Rock she continued her love of fashion and worked in the shoe and Boutique department of SteinMart for 30 years. Together, she and Jack enjoyed playing golf, antique shopping, traveling, and spending time with their grandchildren until his death in 2010. She was a member of St. James Methodist Church of Little Rock.

Montez then moved to Hattiesburg to be closer to her family. As her style preceded her, friends became abundant and she made many lasting memories with them. We all feel blessed by her love and devotion to her family.

Montez was preceded in death by her parents and her two former husbands as well as her sisters, Louise Bogan of Paragould, Ark., Lee Burr of Glencoe, Okla., and Wilma Paynter of Paragould, Ark. 

She is survived by Lisa Gore of New Orleans, Sherry Gore Duff (Jim) of Hattiesburg, Maggie Duff of Jackson and Caroline Duff of Oxford. She is also survived by one sister, Colleen Wisniewski of Waverly, Tenn.; and two brothers, Mike Bogan and Charles Bogan both of Paragould, Ark.

The family would like to give a special thanks to the Memory Care staff of The Claibourne of Hattiesburg for assisting our mom for several years. 

Due to COVID-19 concerns, a private graveside service will be held on Dec. 29, 2020, at Linwood Cemetery in Paragould, Ark.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the memory of Montez Bogan Gore Cole to the St. Jude Research Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.