Albert Erwin Armstrong

ALBERT "AL" E. ARMSTRONG 1/27/1912 ~ 8/1/2011 Armstrong, Albert Erwin, 99, passed on Aug. 1, 2011. Al was born in Crocker, SD and grew up in Mobridge, SD. He was preceded in death by three wives, Alice Armstrong 1973, Peggy Armstrong 1998 and Barbara Bellant 2008. He had three children: Sue Roberts, Lorraine Fine and Jim Armstrong (deceased 1999). He had eight grandchildren: Mike, David and Kevin Nettleingham, Alan and Ray Kramer, Jay, Jeff and Jamie Armstrong. He had eight great-grandchildren, Talon, Tatum and Bradley Kramer, Brandy Paxton, Dion and Dana Armstrong, Shaun and Alison Armstrong; and two great-great-grandchildren, Alex and Ayden Paxton. He had one brother, Floyd Armstrong of Ocean Park, WA. He had four sisters (all deceased), Emma Fenske, Ruth Lape, Irma Bersch and Marion Gaston. He used to always say he was kicked out of third grade because he had to shave. :-) He actually had to quit high school to work on the family farm. At 17 he contracted spinal tuberculosis. He survived two years in South Dakota's dust bowl. He and nine other family members packed their belongings and drove West to Washington state. He eventually settled in Ridgefield, WA and Vancouver, WA as well as Portland, OR. He was an avid ham radio operator, receiving his license in 1938. He became president of the local club in 1939 and continued being a ham well into his 90's. He also enjoyed fishing and hunting. He took up golf in his seventies, late in life he developed a deep affection for cats and is survived, in addition to all the family members listed, by his faithful cat, Woody. Committal of ashes will be in the Evergreen Memorial Gardens. There will be a Celebration of Life, Sunday, August 7, 2011 2:30 p.m. at the New Life Friends Church, 2410 Grand Boulevard, Vancouver, WA 98661 360-694-6843. As Al would say, "It's time to go home and milk the goats!".