Maryland - Tamla Tanisha Walcott-Montgomery, daughter of Brian and Glenda Walcott, was born on April 4, 1973 in Fort Dix, New Jersey. She has one younger sister, Lanelle Walcott-Chisolm, of which she was very protective. Affectionately known as "Tam", she was raised in Young Park in Norfolk, Virginia. As a child, she also spent a portion of her childhood in Fort Dix, New Jersey where both parents were in the military. During her adolescence, Tam was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Cora Lee Moore, and a tight knit family of her Mom, Dad, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Tam was a fun loving and outgoing child, who was adored by friends and family alike. As a teen, she was known as a "social butterfly" and free spirit. Her favorite hobbies were drawing, buying sneakers, and playing basketball at Booker T. Washington, H.S.

Tam graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1991 and was blessed with the birth of her first born son, Daquan in 1992. She attended Norfolk State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Tam met her college sweetheart and future husband, Albie Montgomery at Norfolk State in 1995. Tam moved to Boston and worked for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Lotus, and IBM as a software engineer. In July 2003, she was blessed with the birth of her youngest son, Amir. She moved to Maryland and worked for Lockheed Martin. Several years later, in 2006, Tam and her family relocated to Atlanta, GA. During that time, she and her husband built their family business, a media publication company. A natural nurturer, Tam was a stay at home Mom in Atlanta where she spent many hours preparing home cooked meals, baking homemade desserts, crocheting and being a Soccer Mom/Coach. In 2011, she secured a contract with the American Registry Pathology supporting the Department of the Army (National Museum of Health and Medicine). This move reunited Tam with her sister in Maryland. Tam and Lanelle were able to mother their children and raise them as brothers and sisters in one loving home.

Being such a loving and caring person, Tam was loved by many. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile, contagious laugh, and witty sense of humor. Tam was known for always opening her heart and giving a listening ear and warm hug to those in need. She was truly the heartbeat of the family. She was a "big sister" to her cousins Lamont, Shadae and Ayana, including them in her travels and mentoring them throughout their life. She has a very special bond with her only niece, Jazmine, which will never be broken.

Tam departed this life on January 22, 2014. Her loving grandparents, George and Elizabeth Walcott and Ward L. Moore; Great Grandfather Theodore Walcott; and Uncle Dane Walcott predeceased her.

Tam leaves to cherish her memories, her loving husband Albie; two sons, Daquan and Amir; her beloved parents, Brian (Gloria) and Glenda (Kevin); adoring sister, Nell; loving brother, Paul; beloved niece Jazmine; grandmother, Cora Lee Moore; mother-in-law Linda; father-in-law Al; sisters-in-law, Tamara and Ashley; brother-in-law Alex; aunts Linda, Gloria, Niecy, Keja; uncles Augustus, Oscar, Keith, Kent; cousins Lamont, Shadae, Ayana and a host of other relatives and friends.

A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday at New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Gardens. Viewing will be from 3-7pm Thursday at Pretlow and Sons Funeral Home, Chesapeake.