Marie Toole "Laurene" Armstrong

1944 - 2020

Marie "Laurene" Toole Armstrong died peacefully while hospitalized in Sarasota, Florida on March 20, 2020, at the age of 76. The oldest of nine children, Laurene was born on January 11, 1944 in Providence, Rhode Island. She graduated from Lee High School in Lee, Massachusetts and attended St. Luke's School of Medical Technology where she earned a certification as a Licensed Medical Technologist.

She raised her family in Fairborn, Ohio where she was an activities director at Crystal Manor Nursing Home, was a licensed real estate agent, and was a donor technician at Community Blood Center in Dayton. Upon moving to Seattle in 1997, she spent nearly 20 years in various roles at the Puget Sound Blood Center (now Bloodworks NW). After retirement, she relocated to Florida and embraced the age of the Internet by operating a small business on eBay and driving for both Uber and Lyft.

She was an eternal optimist and always saw the best in people. She lived each day with abundant energy and was never one to miss any celebration. She enjoyed entertaining and hosting her many friends and family and was skilled at many hobbies including scrapbooking, decorating, cooking and organizing. She loved to travel and was grateful that she had been able to visit many amazing places across five continents. She loved to share stories, mostly about the pride she felt for her family and friends.

Laurene is survived by her children, Marie Woods Lilley (Steve) of Seattle, WA; Christa Armstrong Ventosa (Paul) of Clifton Park, NY; Patrick Armstrong (Mollie) of Dayton, OH; Megan Armstrong Perdue (Shawn) of Cincinnati, OH; and Michael Zabek of Alachua FL; her grandchildren Madeline and Matthew Lilley of Seattle; Sophia and Patrick Ventosa of Clifton Park; Maggie Armstrong of Nashville, TN; Macie and Jack Armstrong of Dayton; Morgan and Aidan Perdue of Cincinnati; Liam Zabek (Olivia) of Alachua; and great-grandchildren Arabella and August Zabek of Alachua; her siblings Rosemary O'Toole of Del Mar, CA; Brianne Toole (Don Anders) of Ave Maria, FL; Thomas Toole of Lee, MA; Joseph Toole (Lynn) of Lenox, MA; and John Toole of Richmond, MA; sisters-in-law Dawn Toole of Lee, MA; and Valerie Toole of Pittsburgh, PA; and many beloved nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence V. and Marie A. Toole, her brothers Lawrence "Brian" Toole and Kevin Toole, and her sister Kathleen Toole.

A funeral and memorial service will be held later this year in Lee, MA.