Feb. 25, 1950 - May 17, 2012

ELKHART — Milton T. Montandon Jr., 62, of Elkhart, passed away on Thursday, May 17, 2012, at 11:55 a.m. at the Greenleaf Health Campus in Elkhart after a brief illness.

He was born in Elkhart on Feb. 25, 1950, to the late Milton T. and Marguerite (Landon) Montandon Sr. On March 5, 1969, he married Susan M. Porter, who preceded him in death on Nov. 16, 2011, in Elkhart. A son, Steven, precedes him as well.

Surviving are his son, Andrew S. Montandon of Goshen; his fiancée, Nancy A. Kline of Elkhart; and his sisters, Sherrie (Jerry) Conley of Marianna, Fla., Vicki (Larry) Barrett of Elkhart and Ellen (Tom) Csakany and Rebecca (Patrick) Doyle, both of Cassopolis, Mich.

A celebration of Milt's life will begin with a visitation on Monday, May 21, 2012, from 4 to 8 p.m. followed by a funeral on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, at 10 a.m. with visitation beginning at 9 a.m. All services will take place at Billings Funeral Home of Elkhart. Pastor Gary Sheets will officiate. Burial will follow the services on Tuesday at Rice Cemetery in Elkhart with Military Graveside Honors being rendered by the U.S. Army Funeral Honor Guard and Elkhart DAV Post 19. A Loyal Order of the Moose ceremony will take place Monday at 7 p.m.

Milton worked in a variety of positions with the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department in a career spanning 34 years. He began as a jail officer in 1978 and went on serve as sergeant of the Patrol Division and a bomb technician for many years to follow. After his retirement as a merit patrol officer in 2002, he continued his service to the county as a civil process server. He was also a reserve officer for the Elkhart Police Department in the early '70s and served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam as a demolitions expert with the First Infantry Division. He was a lifetime member of Elkhart Moose Lodge 599 and belonged to Elkhart VFW Post 88.

Memorial donations may be given to Mooseheart or the United Cancer Services of Elkhart County. Online condolences may reach the family at the funeral home's website.

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