Charles Terrence Armstrong
October 19, 1920 - October 12, 2008
Obituary
Charles Terrence Armstrong
October 19, 1920 to October 12, 2008
Charles Terrence Armstrong, 87, passed away peacefully October 12, 2008 with his son, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters at his side. Charles leaves behind his wife of 29 years, Betty; children Christine Harvey of Kent, Bruce Armstrong of Port Orchard, step-children Nancy Schueller of Rochester, Paul Wes Eaton of Snohomish, Judy Rowe of San Angelo, TX; grandchildren Angela Fondale, Annette Harvey, Rick Barker, Raymond Barker, Paul Eaton, Jessica Eaton and four great-grandchildren. He is also survived by siblings Tom Armstrong of Tucson AZ and June Rawlings of Oakview CA.
Born in 1920 in Los Angeles to Arthur and Mary Forrest Armstrong, Charles was the oldest of their five children Charles, Dennis, Mary, Thomas and June and a grandson of Los Angeles County pioneers. He loved to tell the stories about growing up and his family. One special story was of his grandfather who after failing at gold mining in the California hills, walked out of the mountains without a penny, evaded a cattle stampede in the San Joaquin Valley and was finally saved from starvation by a Sacramento mission.
After graduating from Leuzinger High School in 1938, Charles trained and worked as a patternmaker at Douglas Aircraft where his father worked. He enlisted in the Navy in August 1942 and retired with 22 years of service after attaining the then newly created rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. Charles served in WWII, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War. He also served in the SeaBees during his Navy career.
While stationed at Seattle’s Pier 91 in 1947, Charles met and married in 1947 Ruby Pierce Hanson, a young widow with a young daughter, Judy. At St. Alphonsus in Ballard They were married for thirty years and together they had two children: Christine 1953 and Bruce 1955. The family lived in San Diego, Siapan South Pacific island, Japan, San Francisco area, and settled finally in Seattle when he retired from the Navy in 1964. Charles was employed by Lockheed Shipbuilding and later sold real estate at Orchard Realty. Before fully retiring he returned to his carpentry skills by taking on various remodeling jobs.
Family was very important to Charles whose Navy career had taken him away from his own parents, brothers and sisters. When he met and married a lovely widow from Arbor Heights, Betty Irwin Eaton, in 1979 his family expanded. He reveled in his enlarged family adding Betty’s children, Paul, Nancy, their spouses, and several more grandchildren, gathering them together for celebrations was a real joy for him. Their marriage was a match made in heaven with their joint love of family, gardening and horses and shared propensity for frugalness.
Charles’ love for farming and animal husbandry was sparked as a young boy. Charles was farming organically before ‘organic’ was cool. He always told stories about raising goats, selling eggs from his chickens during the depression and growing produce for the family table. We kidded him, questioning how he could be a farmer growing up in Beverly Hills, but he had the pictures to prove it! On the day before he died he was checking on their beautiful backyard garden that had once more produced a bountiful harvest.
Charles believed we need to be good stewards of the land. He was active in the West Seattle Green Belt organization, lobbied the city to retain open space in West Seattle, organized tree planning events in the West Seattle area and promoted farmland preservation in the Kent Valley. He was also an avid supporter of community farmers markets – especially the West Seattle Farmers Market where he was on first name basis with most of the farmers and vendors. Charles was also a S.C.O.R.E. volunteer, advising on agriculture related business ventures and he as also a frequent guest lecturer for the Highline School District Agriculture program. He felt is important for kids to connect with the earth and feel the joy of eating something they themselves grew.
In lieu of flowers, we are asking that donations be made to the Seattle Tilth, an organization that Charles and Betty belonged to at one point and whose mission and work reflect Charles’ values and vision.
The Seattle Tilth Association, www.seattletilth.org
Founded in 1978, Seattle Tilth is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating a sustainable community, one garden at a time. In their demonstration gardens, as well as in P-Patches and other community gardens across the region, they teach people how to improve their environment by using organic gardening techniques.
Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Betty and extended family in the loss of Charles. We shared some fun times together in the past that created pleasant memories. With love and remembrance, Brenda & Conrad
Betty & Family: Well, I procrastinated too long in coming to visit with you folks. I’m so very sorry. Charles was such an vibrant, interesting friend and I so enjoyed watching him ride Bolero. Betty, you are such a dear lady and, having been widowed twice, I have some idea of your pain and sorrow now. I hope to see you Saturday and, if not very soon. Love, Sharon Sweeting Richards.
Good pic’s of Dad I wish We could have the one of Him in the quanset hut in Sipan , I think that is a very good photo of Dad
Bruce.