Dr. David Ligon Armstrong

1927 - 2019

DR. DAVID LIGON ARMSTRONG Thursday, July 4, 2019 California native David Ligon Armstrong passed away at Oak Tree Lodge, Pomona, California. Full of intelligence and humor, he was a testament that our hopes and dreams are achievable when we believe and commit ourselves to action. David was born May 5, 1927 at home in Ontario, California. He was the second son of Awdry and Ruth Armstrong, having an older brother John and later a younger sister Janetha. He grew up in Ontario playing in the orange groves and attending Edison Elementary School. He used to tell the story of making up creative newspapers to sell to the neighbors and at Halloween putting pins in the doorbells. As a boy he helped package plants in containers for his family's nursery, Armstrong Nursery of Ontario. David was a modest young man, hard working, sensitive and happy, with a love for his grandmother's bottled picked peaches and adventure books. He soon attended the private Norton School in Claremont where he related his favorite activity was building the rock walls with the other students. As he grew older he attended Chaffey High School and then went on to graduate at age 16 as the Valedictorian from Webb High School for boys in Claremont. He really enjoyed Webb, especially his biology teacher Raymond M. Alf, who David stated used to hang from a ceiling pipe by one arm as he taught. A carved wood picture of David's still hangs in the library at the school. David started college at Caltech at age 17, but stopped to join the Navy during WWII where he was trained in electronics as an Electronics Technician's Mate (ETM) on Treasure Island. After the Navy he finished his undergraduate studies at University of California Berkeley graduating in 1949 majoring in Genetics. He earned a PHD at University of California Davis while courting long time family friend Mary Scott Meredith of Claremont and now a 'Cal' girl, who he married March 30, 1953. The candlelight wedding ceremony took place in the Chapel at Webb School, Claremont, with a reception at Padua Hills Theater. They settled in their first home on Yale Street in Ontario, as David joined the family business, internationally known Armstrong Nurseries, founded by his Canadian immigrant grandfather JS Armstrong around 1890. David became their Head of Research and he developed many new varieties of roses and peach trees. While he and Mary were raising a family of two girls and one boy in Upland on San Antonia Heights, David was an active member of the Ontario Rotary Club, continued his love of politics as the President of the Young Republicans of San Bernardino County, experienced Indian Guides with his son Paul and took the family on adventurous camping trips to national parks across the county and even Alaska. He always encouraged his children to look over the next hill and definitely developed their desire to travel and explore new cultures. In 1968 David decided to leave the family nursery business and follow his long-time dream of becoming a medical doctor. Something very difficult for a person of 41 years, he persevered showing us nothing was impossible if you give it all your effort. The family of five moved from Upland, California to Omaha, Nebraska where he attended Creighton Medical School. The family dinner table conversations were filled with conversation about the latest surgery he had been involved with or learning about some new medical discovery he had heard of. During medical school he decided to become a Psychiatrist. In 1972 he once again moved the family to Orange County, California where he had a psychiatric residency associated with UCI. When this was complete he began work at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk where he was a much beloved doctor, helping many for the rest of his career. Before his beloved wife Mary died in 1997 of lung cancer they began traveling and exploring England, Wales, Africa, Central and South America together, climbing up Machu Picchu in Peru and learning to ski in Colorado. David spent the last 12 years serving as Chief of Staff at Metro, reluctantly retiring July 4th, 2005 at age 78. During retirement he continued to travel around the world particularly enjoying the silk trail across China and Uzbekistan, soon adding his close friend Maggie Vinnedge to his trips. He and Maggie explored together Iran, Japan, China, Italy, Cambodia and other exciting lands of adventure. In 2009 David moved into the lovely all-inclusive retirement community, Mt. San Antonio Gardens in Pomona and Claremont, a 2nd generation resident since his parents and other family members had lived their many years. While at the Gardens David continued to see long time friends and go out to dinner and theater with his dear friend Maggie. David was preceded in death by his parents Awdry and Ruth Armstrong, his older brother John Armstrong and loving wife of 43 years Mary. He has a large and loving family who survive him. They will greatly miss his humor and insight. These include his sister Janetha Corey (Gene) of Claremont, children Meredith Richey (Michael) of Perry, Kansas, Paul Armstrong (Cindy), of San Juan Capistrano, Adelaide Butler (Bob) of Anaheim, eight grandchildren Robbie (Heidi), Scott (Chelsea), Preston (Jordana) Richey, Charlotte Nations (Joseph); Kirstin, Charlotte, Maxwell Armstrong; Dylan Butler; and ten great grandchildren Lizzy, Austin, Reagan, Paige, Macy and Chloe Richey; Cambria and Jonas Nations; plus Layla and Mariah Richey. The family is grateful for those who served our father at Mt San Antonio Gardens and Oak Tree Lodge with love and caring. The viewing will be held Friday night, July 12th 5 -8pm at Todd Memorial Chapel, 570 N Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91767. Graveside Memorial Service will be held Saturday, July 13, 12 noon at Oak Park Cemetery, 410 Sycamore Ave, Claremont, CA 91711. Picture: (an older one and a younger one, and 4 generation picture since he was part of a historic family in this area) David Armstrong was a long time resident of this area from the well known Armstrong Nurseries family. The family nursery imported Eucalyptus trees for windbreaks to Southern California, olive trees to California during WWI for a crucial need of olive oil and propograted the internationally known "Charlotte Armstrong" rose, the official rose of the city of Ontario and a basis for many well known roses today. David continued with genetic plant research and developed new peach trees and roses during the 1950s and 1960s. Group picture: L- R Awdry Armstrong, David Ligon Armstrong with son Paul H Armstrong, JS (Jack) Armstrong (Patriarch of family who established Armstong nursery and arrived in the area in 1889).