Montrice Chante Canady
January 5, 1983 - December 3, 2019

On Wednesday, January 5, 1983, in San Diego, California, Priscilla Craig Canady were blessed with the birth of twins.Montrice Chante Canady, a beautiful baby girl, entered the world as their first born.Although, much smaller in size and weight than her twin brother, she was the first of the twins to journey from the hospital to their new home.Affectionately known as Tree-cee and later in life as Tweety Bird, Montrice was adored and fondly thought of by all who knew her.From infancy and throughout her life, she was the epitome of strength, courage, determination and perseverance.

As a child, she was involved in various activities that shaped her character and approach to life.Active in sports, she played baseball for the Encanto Little League; cheered and later coached for the Valencia Park Football and Cheer Association; became one of the original members of the Encanto Lady Bulls Youth Basketball Team; and she participated in Track and Field with the Martin Luther King Blasters. As she grew older, she volunteered for the N Step Youth Track Club as well as served as an Assistant Coach to the Girls Basketball Team at Millennial Tech Middle School.Montrice was also a lover of reading, traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and playing word games.Her travels took her to many domestic and foreign locations that included Europe, Egypt, and the Caribbean, which exposed her to different people and cultures.Montrice openly embraced persons from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures different from her own.Born with a Native American heritage passed from her father, she pursued her genealogy and tribal rights becoming a duly recognized member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina in 2018.

Montrice loved education.When she became of pre-school age, her parents enrolled her in Crockett Pre-School, which set the foundation for academic success and a life of learning.During her formative years, her teachers quickly recognized that she was as a special, high achieving student.She was tested and indeed determined to be a high academic scholar and achiever.Throughout her educational journey, she was identified as a GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) student while attending Encanto Elementary, KeillerMiddle School and Gompers High School.In high school, she took advanced and honor classes.Following high school graduation, she pursed higher education at the University of California, Riverside, where she was a double major, receiving her Bachelor of Science degrees in Political Science and African American Studies.

Her interest in the law led her to pursue and earn a Paralegal Certificate under the auspices of the School of Law at the University of San Diego.Determined to pursue her lifelong passion of becoming an attorney, her educational journey led her to the State of Indiana where she was accepted into the School of Law at Valparaiso University.She thrived at Valparaiso earning the admiration of her professors and fellow students.She was chosen to represent the university in Mock Trial competitions working with her fellow classmates to compete against other law schools.She graduated with her Juris Doctorate on May 17, 2017.Graduating from the rigors of law school is an honorable and remarkable accomplishment.However, Montrices graduation was nothing less than astounding as she faced a life-threatening health issue in her final months of study, which would have caused most persons to delay their education or give up their educational pursuits altogether.Challenges were nothing new for Montrice as throughout her life she overcame obstacles through her faith in God, support of her parents, siblings, family and friends and reliance on her favorite scripture, Have faith in God. (Mark 11:22)

It was her belief in God that carried her through lifes challenges, ups and downs, mountain top and valley experiences.Her spiritual maturity was birthed at the St. Stephens Cathedral Church of God in Christ under the pastorage of Bishop George Dallas McKinney.An active member of the church, Montrice was a member of the Sunshine Band, Youth Choir and Young Womens Christian Counsel.She was a regular participant in the annual Black History Program.As a young adult, following her return to San Diego from law school, she was a mentor to the Youth Choir.

Montrice valued her work experiences, which she believed would one day pave the way for her to enter her chosen profession.In May 2016 to August 2016, she worked as a Certified Legal Intern for the San Diego County Public Defenders Office.She enjoyed the same position with the Criminal Law Clinic at Valparaiso University Law School from August 2016 to May 2017.During these periods, her Legal Intern experience overlapped and was broaden through her work with Jasmine Perkins, an attorney in private practice in Crown Point, IN.Beginning in September 2012 for nearly three years, she worked as a Paralegal in the Law Office of Barbara J. McKinney in San Diego, CA.Montrice was employed by the San Diego Unified School District working at Millennial Tech Middle School as a Special Education Assistant for nearly seven (7) years from September 2007 to June 2014.

While these paid and unpaid jobs provided Montrice with experiences that would serve to inform and enhance her professional interest and growth, they were stepping stones to her ultimate pursuit of practicing criminal defense law.In the fall of 2017 and through the early months of 2018, Montrice immersed herself in study and preparation to take the California Bar Exam in February 2018.She spent endless hours in individual and group study sessions preparing her mind to take notably one of the nations most difficult exams.Her hard work and dedication was rewarded on May 18, 2018 with the release of the list of applicants that passed the exam.Out of the 4,701 applicants that took the exam, she was one of 1,282 (27.3%) that passed the General Bar Exam, which was a record low.She credited God, her family and friends that allowed her to study in what amounted to as a full time unpaid job to pass the California Bar Exam.On May 23, 2018, graced with the presence of her parents and other family members, Montrice Chante Canady was sworn into the California Bar Association by the Honorable Judge Randa Trapp of the California Superior Court of San Diego County.

Montrices faith in God, will to enjoy and live life to the fullest, did not waiver despite her illness.She faced lifes trials with confidence and a courageous spirit.On December 3, 2019, God dispatched an angel to usher her to her new heavenly home.As she has transitioned from her earthly home to her new heavenly headquarters, she now awaits the day that those who loved and supported her will be reunited.

Her maternal grandparents, Lula and Helda Wilson and paternal grandparents Anne Velma and Walter Marsden Canady preceded her in death.

Left to cherish her memory are her loving mother, Priscilla and devoted father, Craig of San Diego, California (CA); her twin brother, MontrCanady and sister, PorschCanady both of San Diego, CA; her godmothers Sedell Branch (Arnold) of Temecula, CA and Naomi Adkins (Michael) of San Diego, California and nephew MontrCanady II also of San Diego, CA.A host of aunts, uncles, cousins, as well other relatives are left to honor her memory.Her closest attorney friends Elena Dietrich and Kelly Hayes, both of San Diego, Isaiah Artest, of Los Angeles, CA and Jasmine Williams from the State of Indiana are amongst a host of numerous friends that also cherish her memory.

Montrice was a blessing to those who knew her.Her infectious zeal for life and commitment to excellence is left to encourage those who she called her family and friends.While she is gone from our midst, the lessons that she taught us especially during her bouts with illness will be remembered forever.Although, not physically present with us, her memory shall never fade from our hearts.

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