Provencal native Billy Wayne Montgomery, a Northwestern State University graduate who was a state championship high school basketball coach before becoming one of the state’s most influential legislators, died overnight Tuesday at age 87.

Funeral arrangements have been set for early next week for Montgomery, who was living in Bossier Parish. Visitation will be Monday from 4-8 p.m. in the Haughton High School’s Billy Montgomery Gymnasium, with the funeral Tuesday morning at 10 at his church, Central Assembly of God in Haughton on U.S. Highway 80 just past the Louisiana Downs racetrack.

Known statewide as “Coach Montgomery” in respect to his very successful high school basketball coaching career, he spent 20 years (1988-2008) as a legislator serving Bossier Parish in the state House of Representatives. He was widely recognized for his advocacy for education, health care, law enforcement and the state sheriffs’ association, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association, horse racing, legalized gambling, restoration of the Louisiana Superdome after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and many other good causes. His ability to build non-partisan coalitions was remarkable, observers said.

His support for his alma mater, NSU, was impactful, as he served in the legislature during an era when the university set enrollment records. Montgomery was a driving force behind state funding for a new $60 million campus for Bossier Parish Community College.

Montgomery was a 2012 inductee in the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame, a year after he entered the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as the 2011 recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award. He earned that recognition for his support of high school sports in the state, his influence in long-term success for the Louisiana Downs race track in Bossier City and the state’s horse racing industry, and for being a vital player in obtaining support in the state legislature and from Governors Mike Foster and Kathleen Blanco to launch construction of the $23 million Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum in downtown Natchitoches.

In 2019, he was enshrined in the Long Purple Line, Alumni Hall of Distinction at Northwestern and is one of only 157 individuals so honored in the 140-year history of the institution.

Among other distinctions: inductions in the Louisiana High School Sports Hall of Fame and the Ark-La-Tex Museum of Champions, the Distinguished American award from the North Louisiana chapter of the National Football Foundation, and being chosen “Mr. Louisiana Basketball” in 2009 by the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches, which includes him in the LABC Hall of Fame.

He was listed as “A Leader of the Century” in 2002 by the Shreveport Times and was the only individual to receive the International Police Award in 1990.

The Provencal High School alumnus served in the United States Army from 1959-64, graduating from Northwestern in 1960 with an education degree. He obtained a master’s degree in 1966 in administration and supervision, and did additional work at NSU toward his plus 30 certification, along with taking classes at LSU, Louisiana Tech and ULM.

Montgomery began his educational career as a teacher and assistant football, track and basketball coach at Haughton High School in 1960. Five years later he took over as the Bucs’ head basketball coach and was an immediate success, guiding Haughton to the state championship game in 1967, then back-to-back state championships in 1968 and 1969. He was named state Coach of the Year in Class 3A in 1967 and 1968 by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

He coached at Lafayette High in 1969-70, with the Lions posting a 27-7 record as Montgomery won another district Coach of the Year honor, before being enticed to return to Haughton as an assistant principal for the 1970-71 school year. He returned to coaching the Bucs for four more seasons in the late 1970s. He became the school’s principal in 1984 and served until retiring to pursue the District 9 seat in the House of Representatives.

In 10 seasons as a head boys basketball coach, Montgomery had a 304-77 record. He took the Buccaneers to five state tournaments and all 10 of his teams reached the playoffs in an era when only the top two teams in each district got to the postseason.

Along with the basketball court at Haughton, Bossier Parish CC dedicated Billy Montgomery Court in his honor. Last fall, he was an inaugural inductee in the Haughton High School Hall of Fame.

After his legislative service ended, Montgomery worked with the Bossier Parish Police Jury from 2008-21, serving as a legislative liason and a project manager. He also worked extensively with the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission, serving as its chairman for several years and helping attract many events large and small to the twin cities.

At a 2021 retirement ceremony, state Senate president and longtime legislative leader John Alario said Montgomery was a servant leader for all of Louisiana.

“I have known and worked with Billy Montgomery for many years and I can truthfully say he is the example of dedication and hard work,” said Alario.

“He always served his district well, but if someone asked for his help, he never asked who their representative was. He would do whatever he could to assist them, no matter where they lived.”