Laurel Ann Montgomery, 58, died on Aug. 27 at Carmel Saint Vincent Hospital in Carmel, Indiana. She was born on Dec. 23, 1955 in Detroit, Michigan to parents Edmund Burke Montgomery, Jr. and Gloria Little. When she was two and a half years old, her family moved to Carmel, Indiana where she attended Carmel High School. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University, and went on to complete her Doctorate in Dental Surgery at the Indiana University School of Dentistry.
She worked as a Medical Technologist at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was there that she met her future husband, James Michael Pingleton. They were wed in 1993, and lived until the time of her death on their farm in Westfield, Indiana.
Laurel loved life, loved to laugh, and loved all animals wild and domestic. (She even believed that opossums were cute) Her menagerie consisted of horses, dogs, cats, a rabbit and hermit crabs. She was especially close to her first dog, Spica. He brought her great joy, and comforted her during a difficult period of her life. They were inseparable.
She was fiercely devoted to her family, and enjoyed many vacations with her parents and siblings. She also enjoyed the time spent with her husband competing in equestrian events. The love for horses she developed as a child never diminished. She was a kind soul who dealt with physical limitations brought about by illness with courage, strength and grace. She will be greatly missed, and will never be forgotten
Laurel is survived by her husband, and two brothers: David (Esperanza) Montgomery of Verona, Wisconsin and Edmund Burke Montgomery, III (Kip) of Allen, Texas. She is also survived by three nieces: Damari (Luke) Yeazel, Amy Montgomery and Elise Montgomery, and her beloved great nephew Aiden.
Services will be held at 11:00 am on Sept. 6 in Leppert Mortuary- Carmel, 900 North Range Line Road, Carmel, Indiana, where friends are invited to call from 10 a.m. until the time of the funeral. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to The Humane Society of Indianapolis.
Thoughts may be shared with the Montgomery family by visiting:www.leppertmortuary.com
