Ernest Neil Armstrong

1917 - 2015

Ernest Neil Armstrong, 97, of Jacksonville died September 8, 2015, at his home, following a brief illness and a long and eventful life.

Born in Liberal, Kansas, on November 2, 1917, he was the son of Harry Gammon Armstrong and Ethel Alice Foulds Armstrong. He married Grace Reid on October 12, 1940, and they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary shortly before her death in 2010. Their reunion occurs just in time for their 75th.

Beginning in 1939, Ernie was employed by Western Union Telegraph Co. He then served in the Signal Corps, Army of the United States, during World War II. He spent many years as a sales representative for Millers Mutual Insurance Co., from which he retired.

He was a Mason for more than 71 years. He joined Cooper Lodge No. 36, in Booneville, Missouri, in 1944, and belonged to the York Rite in Jacksonville.

Ernie's mother recorded that he first ran away from home before the age of 3, starting by tricycle and continuing on foot. Throughout his long life, he continued his efforts to see the country, especially enjoying Civil War battle sites and the Southwest. His other enthusiasms included woodworking, baseball, American art pottery, hand-cranked ice cream and retirement.

He often said his favorite cake was pie and that he liked two kinds: hot and cold. He and Grace grew cherries, gooseberries, raspberries and blueberries and, in his opinion, all of them made good pies. His hands-down favorite, however, was Grace's blue-goose pie.

He was preceded in death by his beloved Grace; his sons, Dr. Richard Neil Armstrong and Dr. Clinton Lee Armstrong; and his sisters, Mary Alice Scates, Claudine Riney and Virginia Overholt. He is survived by his grandchildren, Kathryn Grace Armstrong and Andrew Clinton Armstrong of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Peter Cornelius Armstrong and Hans Richard Armstrong of Denmark; his daughters-in-law, Mary Frances Clark of Brentwood, Tennessee, and Pia Larsen of Denmark; his brother, Lewis Armstrong, and his wife Vivian, of Liberal, Kansas; his sister, Jean Rochel, and her husband, James, of Garland, Texas; his niece, Bettina Rosenthal of Santa Rosa, California; and his nephew, Brad Armstrong of Tyler, Texas. Throughout his life, Ernie was blessed with the gift of making friends, many of whom survive him. In his later years, Steve Wayne was an especially valued one.

His family gratefully acknowledges his outstanding caregivers, Angela Hurst, Jessica Graves, Melissa Allen and Regina Patterson, who enabled him to live at home independently and who remained his friends even in his last moments.

A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 12, 2015, at Williamson Funeral Home, with entombment in Diamond Grove Mausoleum. The family will meet friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Memorial Home Services Hospice or "Vanderbilt Biochemistry-Armstrong Fund" and mailed to Vanderbilt Gift & Donor Services, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7727, or left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left online at www.airsman-hires.com.