July 2, 1960 – February 17, 2022
After growing up in Colorado Springs, Catherine went on to earn a B.A. in Architecture and a B.A. in Environmental Design from the University of Kansas in 1983. She worked as an architect in Maryland and Washington D.C. and held several positions over 13 years at the University of Maryland, College Park.
In 1999, Catherine moved to Oklahoma and became a preservation architect with the State Historic Preservation Office. She would later become the Director of Construction and Maintenance for the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Outreach Division, where she oversaw protecting, preserving, and improving historic structures in Oklahoma. She was responsible for the upkeep of thirty-one museums, military sites, historic homes, and affiliate sites across Oklahoma.
In 2009, Catherine started her own firm – Preservation and Design Studio. The studio is made up of a talented team of architects and historians and provides services including zoning, design, historic preservation review board representation, and more.
Catherine was an active member of the American Institute of Architects and served on multiple boards for architectural organizations in Oklahoma, including the Gibbs College Architecture Professional Advisory Board at the University of Oklahoma.
Gibbs College Dean Hans Butzer said, “Catherine served our students through her Gibbs College professional advisory board work. She advocated for the celebration and preservation of historic structures across our State. Most importantly, Catherine advocated for the countless communities whose identities are so deeply connected to and shaped by those historic structures.”
Catherine also had a lifetime involvement in charitable efforts, including St. Baldrick’s Day and volunteering at the Friends of the Library Book Sale. Her hobbies included photography, beads, travel, and family genealogy.
She is survived by her husband Alexander Montgomery, daughters Caitlin and Faith, stepson Edward, siblings Robin, Michaela, Sharon, and Zachary, and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Featured Image courtesy of The Oklahoman, 2008
The University of Oklahoma College of Architecture is proud to announce that Model Schools in the Model City, authored by Director of the Institute for Quality Communities, Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., has been named one of ten finalists for the 2026 ASALH Book Prize for Best New Book in African American History and Culture.
This semester, students in the LA 5535 Studio: Ecological Planning and Design, led by Prof. Afsana Sharmin, took on an ambitious hypothetical project to redesign key parts of the OU campus. Their mission: to tackle the critical real-world challenge of stormwater management through innovative green design.
Petya Stefanoff, Chair of the Educational Committee with the American Planning Association, Oklahoma Chapter (APA-OK) and Gibbs College PhD candidate, has developed a new training program for local government officials. The program, focused on land use, zoning principles, and land development, recently certified its first graduates with Certified Citizen Planner status.
