Montagues named 2013 Utah Knights of Columbus Family of the Year

Intermountain Catholic

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Daniel and Maggie Montague (center and right) accept the Utah Knights of Columbus Family of the Year award at the May 4 banquet. State Deputy Robert Masse, Jr. presents the award. IC photo/Marie Mischel

SANDY — The Daniel Montague family from the Saint Thomas More Knights of Columbus Council 11479 was selected as the 2013 Family of the Year.

Daniel and his wife, Maggie, feel humbled to receive the recognition, they said. "There are so many Knights who do so much," said Daniel.

"We feel like we’re not worthy because we get so much out of what we do that we shouldn’t be awarded," added Maggie. "But we are very honored."

St. Thomas More Grand Knight Kevin MacGilvery met the Montague family seven years ago when he moved to Utah.

"It was an easy choice to select them," said MacGilvery. "Daniel teaches Sunday school, he also has taught the Cub Scouts for three years. He is always there to volunteer for anything; he is the first-to-show- up and last-to-leave type of guy."

"Maggie is a lector, and together they planned, almost single-handedly, a Mardi Gras celebration as heads of the parish social committee. They have chaired the St. Thomas More Newcomers committee, and are always willing to step up for something. When Daniel was Grand Knight, he would send out personal letters to everyone trying to get more involvement. They have been fantastic friends to my wife and I."

The Montagues say they have always been active in whatever parish they have been members.

The couple met in 1987 at the Salt Lake Hilton, where they both were working, he as a bellman and she in catering. They were married in Redmond, Wash., in 1989 and returned to Utah in 1991 for a couple of years, but were transferred to southern California in 1993, "a week before St. Thomas More Church was dedicated," said Daniel.

When the couple returned to Utah in 2001, they chose to live in the boundaries of St. Thomas More "because of the roots we had; we just always really loved that parish," said Maggie. "We were involved in the fund-raising for the building of the church.

"I feel like some of our involvement is kind of selfish because being involved is a way to make friends and a way to become part of the community," said Maggie. "We just love watching the community grow which helps us spiritually."

When Maggie met Daniel he was teaching Sunday school and attending college, and "that definitely caught my attention," she said. "He joined the Knights of Columbus when we lived in California and continued to be active when we returned to Utah."

Last year Daniel also coached the eighth-grade Parish Athletic Recreation Association boys’ basketball team, ushered and helped with the Knights’ fish frys. In the past he has held many offices in the Knights of Columbus.

Maggie has been involved in the parent association at Our Lady of Lourdes School, the diocesan Stewardship Council, is currently an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at St. Thomas More and chairs the parish’s social committee, overseeing many events.

"The church and our faith have always sustained us through any hard times in our family or in our marriage," said Maggie. "So being involved is very important to us and we want to be able to give back."

Daniel grew up in Buffalo, N.Y., and relocated in Utah with his family after high school. He attended the University of Utah and received a bachelor’s degree in public relations. He owns Warehouse Equipment, LLC, where he sells used warehouse equipment.

Maggie grew up in Southern California until she was 9, and moved to Fruit Heights, Utah with her family. She is the office manager for Blackrock Neuromed.