Letter: Recalling the 'unconditional' friendship of Archie Montini, now lost to COVID-19
Beaver County Times
It was Sunday morning. My cellphone rang. It was Mary Lou Montini. “Bernie, before you call me, I want you to know that Archie took a turn for the worse last night. He didn’t make it!” Archie, like his sister Teresa about two weeks ago, lost his battle with COVID-19.
Patty, my wife, and I were fortunate enough to be the beneficiaries of Archie Montini’s friendship. It can be reduced to “unconditional.”
Let me share with you some of the vivid examples of Archie’s unconditional friendship toward us. He helped us move both of my daughters to their respective colleges at Wellesley and the University of Pennsylvania — more than once. He accompanied me to attend my daughter’s concert at Wellesley. He spontaneously appeared with a ladder at our house to removed garbage from the roof deposited by some delinquents. Our residence, then, was evidence of his landscaping prowess. He helped coordinate several spaghetti dinners on behalf of the Center High School Band. Of course, for at least two years, he distributed mulch on the St. Frances Cabrini Church grounds. There was no limitation to what he did for his friends.