Montie Eugene Leffel
May 3, 1933 - July 20, 2020
Obituary
A Wonderful Life Well Lived
Montie E. Leffel
May 3, 1933 – July 20, 2020
Will be buried at Maple Hill Cemetery Bluefield, Virginia next to his mother and father.
Those we love don’t go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
So loved, so missed, so very dear.
Montie Eugene Leffel was born in Bluefield, VA on May 3, 1933, he was raised in Bluefield, Virginia the only child of Roy and Ray Leffel. When Montie graduated from high school he was drafted into the US Army and served in Korea from October 1953 to February 24th, 1955. Montie was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the Commendation Ribbon with Medal Pendant.
In 1955 Montie was accepted for his dream job as a purser for Northwest Airlines. He was based in Minneapolis for one year and then transferred to Seattle where he retired January 25, 2001 after 46 years of flying. His last flight was to and from Honolulu, Hawaii his favorite place to swim, walk on the beach, and drink Manhattans. In September 1996, he received the Northwest Airlines Presidential Award, meaning he was the number one employee out of over sixty thousand employees.
In January 1971, Boeing did a demonstration flight of the “Jumbo Jet” (Boeing-747) in an around the world tour. Montie was requested to be the lead flight attendant on the trip, they went to nine countries including a diversion to East Pakistan to deliver emergency supplies after a massive cyclone almost destroyed the country.
Montie had a close and loving relationship with his mother Ray throughout their lives, and they traveled the world together. Montie exhibited an infectious joy, he took every situation he was in and made it fun and special, and this made it fun and special to be around him. He was quick to laugh, smiled often, and always had something to say. Montie had a quick, smart and sassy wit, that was matched and balanced by one of his greatest gifts, which is that he saw the best in everyone he met. His Northwest Airlines family was blessed to have known him, to have flown with him, and to have had him in our lives. His presence will be missed daily by all who loved him. Aloha Dear Friend.
Montie is survived by his cousins, Larry and Linda Bray, Harry and Linda Gardner, Seymour and Marcia Kagan, and Gerry Stowers.
In recognition of Montie’s military service during the Korean War and as a purser flying Military Aircraft Commend missions with the Northwest Airlines Red Tails during Vietnam, his estate would like to secure a tribute plaque in Montie’s name in The Museum of Flight’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park.
Tributes can be made in Montie’s memory to The Museum of Flight in Seattle, 9404 E Marginal Way S Seattle, WA 98108 or donate online at www.museumofflight.org/donate.
It is always difficult to say goodbye to someone who will always be in your heart. His Northwest Airline family was blessed to have known him, to have flown with him, and to have had him in our lives. A treasure is something really special, something irreplaceable and that was Montie. I remember all the good times we had flying together and how much fun Montie was.
I thank you for the joy, the laughs, the lessons, and the adventures.
Angel wings around you my Dear friend.
Aloha Darlene Jevne
Darlene Jevne
I only had the privilege of flying with Montie a couple times, but his professionalism left an incredible impression on me, as it did so many others. He was loved, admired and respected by so many of his Northwest Orient Airlines colleagues, and it was easy to see why.
I was able to get better acquainted with Montie during our many Seattle Base Northwest Airlines Retirement Parties. He was “recruited” for many hilarious skits and was a real trooper in playing any role that was asked of him. This just went to show the wonderful sense of humor he had in addition to his calm, competent and polished service as Purser and Lead Flight Attendant. All who he came in contact with spoke highly of him and his reputation was legendary.
Montie was a wonderful mix of fun and class from a by-gone era of flying. He delighted his customers, and a set a fine example for his colleagues who admired him greatly and will remember him fondly. As one of those, I bid Montie farewell as his indelible spirit takes wing!
just a few words………………….Montie, you and RED TAILS Forever
I had the privilege of working with Montie for over thirty years and first met him in 1969 working with him on a transpacific flight. He was “Mr. NWA” and gave impeccable service to his passengers. Montie was generous, kind, fun and beloved of all the flight attendants he worked with. He will be missed and will live on in the memories of his many friends. Fly high my friend.
It’s hard to say goodbye to such a good person. He will be remembered as the BEST FA Northwest Airlines ever had…good to the people he worked with and those he treated with his service skills. Thank you Montie for being my friend!