John “Monty” Montgomery Orrick

RAYMOND – Monty Orrick, photojournalist, author, and UC Berkeley alumnus, died at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford on the night of Aug. 24, 2025. He was 65.

Born at Marin General Hospital on Dec. 9, 1959, to Jacqueline “Jackie” Orrick and Henry “Harry” Orrick, he was (according to his mother) the largest baby born that year at the hospital. He and his sister, Sarah, grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he led a childhood full of fun and mischief; his most notable tales include keeping his friend’s “pet” raccoon in his garage and attending the concerts and parties in his neighborhood. He would keep his fun-loving spirit, love for music, and respect towards ‘60s and ‘70s counterculture for the rest of his life, sharing them with all who knew him.

Monty graduated from Redwood High School in 1978, then attended Lewis and Clark College from 1978 to 1980 and later UC Berkeley, where he graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature. He wasted no time setting out backpacking in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. It was here he developed a love for fly fishing and a great respect for nature and conservation. To fund his adventures, he would work at the Chart House in Sausalito, Calif., where he met the other love of his life, fellow nature-lover Carolyn Arno, in 1991. The two would wait on numerous celebrities and wild dinner parties and were married at Muir Woods on Feb. 27, 1995. Together, they would tour North America in their RV and Ford F-350, Buster, from 1996 to 1998, ending when Monty began working at KEZI News.

The two would start a family in Pleasant Hill, Ore., when they welcomed Brooke and Beth Orrick-Arno into the world on June 26, 2000. In 2001, Monty started his over 20-year-long career at KATU News, adding countless fellow journalists to his long list of friends. In 2012, Monty would coauthor his book “Feeding the Beast” with his best friend, Tim Gordon, based on their experiences in journalism. In 2023, Monty would publish his second book, “The Crater Lake Murders”, the product of over 12 years of intense research.

Monty and his family would have a second RV trip through the United States in 2021 before relocating to Raymond. Here, he would continue his love for photojournalism at WGME, once again growing his journalism family.

Throughout his rich life, Monty never let time nor distance get in the way of his many friendships. He enjoyed collecting vinyl albums, hiking, and singing songs for his corgi, Daisy.

Preceded in death by his parents, Jackie and Harry; his brothers Peter and Chris.

He is survived by his daughters Brooke Orrick-Arno of Raymond, and Beth Orrick-Arno of Pasadena, Calif.; his wife, Carolyn Arno, of Raymond; his sister, Sarah Orrick, and husband Kurt Herrenbruck of Port Townsend, Wash.; his niece, Abby Vare of New York City, N.Y.; and his many loving cousins, friends, and journalism family.

Services will be held at Laurel Hill Cemetery Chapel, 293 Beach St., Saco on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 11 a.m.

The family would appreciate any donations in his name be made to California Trout (caltrout.org) and the American Heart Association (heart.org).