Josiah "Jo" Montgomery

Josiah Cylan Montgomery, age 20, was born in Columbus, Ohio to parents Cyrill and Tanika Cherry-Montgomery, on January 8, 2002. At the time of his transition, on Saturday, October 15,
2022, he was surrounded by those he loved.

He graduated from The Academy of Urban Scholars in 2020, previously attending Groveport-Madison and Pickerington City Schools. Josiah excelled in his academic studies, achieving the Honor Roll and Dean’s List every quarter. Because he believed in giving back, he tutored others in math and reading, and served in the community through Project Redeem Youth Development Organization.

During his school years, he played football as running back and corner for the Columbus Ice, Groveport Middle School, and Pickerington Central High School. Of course, football was not his only love. He excelled in any sport in which he participated, i.e., boxing, track, baseball, and basketball. During the time that he ran track, he excelled to the top 25 in the nation in the 400 participating in the Junior Olympics and #2 in AAU track field in the 100 in the State of Ohio.  The Pittsburgh Steelers was his favorite professional team.

Josiah had a servant’s heart and a love for God, leading him to be baptized in his early years at Greater Christ Temple and believed to the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Additionally, he was a
scholar Bible student, active in many Bible Bowls of the organization receiving first place trophies! Josiah had a smile that would light up any room! He loved to cook, he was genuine, kind, solid, loyal, fearless, humble, and a trustworthy soul who had great love for his family and friends. This love of humanity led him to be an organ donor to especially bring awareness of this unselfish act to the African American community. Even as a young man, he was intelligent, a deep thinker, and full of wisdom. Although he was young in age, he possessed an older “fatherly” spirit and wanted
to be everybody’s daddy. And he was given the opportunity as a father to speak life into his own son at birth with whom he was very engaged and active.

Josiah’s desire was to see everyone around him win. His plans for the future were to be a blessing to everyone once he “made it in his boxing career. And because he was a very responsible young man, this was a believable accomplishment. Josiah lived up to the meaning of his name “Fire of the Lord.”

Josiah was predeceased by his great-maternal grandmother Gladys Forquer, great-maternal grandfather Lucius Cherry, Sr., aunt Patria Lipson, and paternal grandfather Michael Faulkner.

He is survived by son, Za’ire Josiah Montgomery, mother of Za’ire, Zineah Jones, father Cyrill Montgomery Sr., mother Tanika Cherry, brothers Sherron Ford, Cyrill Montgomery, Jr., sisters, Kadae Johnson and Judah Montgomery, grandparents Dorothy and Maurice Mitchell, Lloyd and Patricia Martin, Linda Montgomery, great grandmothers Dorothy Cherry and Earlene Montgomery, great
grandfather Edward Mitchell, aunts Malika Martin, Taija Mitchell, Kesha Montgomery, and LeFondia Fraley, uncles Lloyd Martin, Brandon Martin, and Arlandus Montgomery, nephew Princeton Ford, God-parents Carol (Gina) and Stephan Beasley, and a host of great aunts, great uncles, cousins, and friends.  “Josiah, gone too soon, forever in our hearts.”

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