The Rev. Montagu Penley Pearse 3rd of Vineyard Haven died July 3 of cancer at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was 75.

Born in Lexington, Virginia, he was the son of Frederick M.P. Pearse Jr., and Emily Edmonson Penick Pearse.

Monte, as he was known, attended St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., winning many honors. At his graduation from Washington and Lee University, he was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership fraternity.

He graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in 1958 and was ordained an Episcopal priest. He subsequently served parishes in many states. Monte moved to Massachusetts when he was named chaplain of St. Mark’s School in Southborough.

The fulfillment of Monte’s adult life began at age 40 when he was among those at the forefront for training and treatment of alcoholism and substance abuse across the country. He worked at Longwood Hospital in Boston and CAIRU, an early response program in Falmouth. He also worked for Vallee Associates for four years, counseling inmates at Old Colony Correctional. In the early 1990s, he was given the title of Venerable by Bishop David Johnson in Boston.

Monte married Judy Jenks Fraser of Vineyard Haven in 1996. (His previous marriage ended in divorce.) Judy then moved to his hometown of Lexington, Va., where they lived for several years.

In 1999, they returned to the Vineyard. Monte continued doing supply work for St. Andrew’s, Grace, and West Tisbury Congregational churches.

As a deputy sheriff, he had been working at Community Corrections, educating and counseling about substance abuse and addiction. In spring of 2008, he retired from the sheriff’s department.

He had recently begun a private practice specializing in counseling the older adult.

He leaves behind a wide circle of loving family and friends.

Survivors include his wife Judy; son Paul and his wife Bonnie of Kitty Hawk, N.C. ; grandchildren Mas, Georgia, Canyon and Noah; and stepchildren Alison Fraser Sheridan, her husband Tim, and their daughter Terra, of Rochester, N.Y., and Porter Fraser of Vineyard Haven.

Monte was predeceased by his daughter Elizabeth Crater Pearse.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, P.O. Box 1477, Oak Bluffs MA 02557; Polly Hill Arboretum, P.O. Box 561, West Tisbury MA 02575; Grace Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1197, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568; and R.E. Lee Memorial Episcopal Church, 123 West Washington street, Lexington VA 24450.