Perry Ann "Dana" Howell Armstrong

Dana Howell Armstrong of Charleston, South Carolina, entered into life eternal Monday 19th June 2023. She was preceded in death by her husband of many years, the late James M. Armstrong. She leaves a large and devoted circle of friends from many spheres of her life across this country who love her and treasure her memory. A Requiem Mass for the repose of her soul will be celebrated on Saturday 29th July 2023 at 11:30 AM at Saint Alban’s Church (Episcopal), 305 Hampton Street, Kingstree, SC 29556. A reception in the parish house for her church family and friends will follow the liturgy.

Dana was born in Jersey City, N.J., on 8th April 1950, the daughter and only child of David Clyde Howell and Lucille Zellars Howell. She was educated in Jersey City schools and at the Philadelphia College of the Arts. Her working life was spent in a great variety of business pursuits: she was the hospitality coordinator for Callaway Gardens, the renowned golfing resort; a realtor for Parker Realty of Mexico Beach, Fla.; a client services coordinator for the Animal Hospital of Jupiter, Fla.; and in varied capacities for business firms of Sonoma, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, Cal. From 2007 she was employed with California Closets, most recently in Mt Pleasant, S.C., as one of their leading designers, retiring this year.

Dana was active in service to others. She worked for several years for the Hospice Center of Myrtle Beach. At the same time she served as a volunteer coordinator with the Missionaries of the Poor, a Roman Catholic monastic order founded by Father Richard Ho Lung, for ministry, as its name suggests, among the extremely disadvantaged citizens of Kingston, Jamaica. She flew to Kingston in her time off from the Hospice Center to assist Father Ho Lung and the brothers in their work. She was very active in the life of the Church both in Myrtle Beach and in Charleston, attending Trinity Church, Myrtle Beach, until she became Orthodox at Saint Nicholas’s Antiochian Orthodox Church, where she was a chanter especially gifted in singing the demanding Byzantine chant of the liturgy. In Charleston she became active at the Church of the Holy Communion, an Anglo-Catholic parish where her many liturgical gifts were recognized and appreciated. Her ashes will be laid to rest in the garth at Holy Communion.

Dana was an artist as well. A skilled miniaturist, she created delicate and exquisite works of art, making and decorating “doll-houses” complete with furniture on the 1:12 ratio, and using fabrics and accessories to make detailed period costumes for antique dolls. Among her hobbies she was a dedicated pet-rescuer, an avid baseball fan, and a veteran traveler, making a month-long tour of India last year. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Saint Alban’s Episcopal Church, 305 Hampton Street, Kingstree, SC 29556; or to Carolina Poodle Rescue, 6705 Union Highway, Pacolet, SC 29372.