Mary Armstrong

Obit for
Mary Armstrong

Mary (Martens) Armstrong, 96, went to be in the presence of the Lord on Friday, December 15, 2006 at the Dunlap Nursing and Rehab Center in Dunlap, Iowa. Mary was born on June 16, 1910 in Carpenter, South Dakota to parents William and Kathryn (Toews) Martens. The family moved to Minnesota for a short time and then moved to Saskatchewan, Canada. Mary received her schooling in Canada. At 18 years of age she moved to Glasgow, Montana, where she was the head cook for a facility that fed between 2000-3000 people a day. She met her future husband Bruce Armstong, during the building of the Fort Peck Dam in Glasgow.. Bruce grew up in the River Sioux area in Harrison County, Iowa. Mary and Bruce were married in 1940 in Dalles, Oregon. The couple moved to Seattle, Washington and lived there until 1955. Then the couple moved to Astoria, Oregon where they purchase a Western Auto Store. They operated the auto store until the early 1970's when they retired. They began spending their winters in Arizona. Bruce died in 1977. Mary continued living in Astoria until October of 2005 when she became a resident of the Dunlap Nursing and Rehab Center in Dunlap, Iowa to be closer to her daughter Janet.

Mary was an active member of her church in Astoria the Bible Baptist Church. She was an excellent cook and baker and enjoyed having company. She knitted and crocheted various items for her family over the years.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, husband and 14 brothers and sisters. She is survived by three daughters, Janet and Dave Smith of Moorhead, Iowa and children, Lori and David Miller of Astoria, Oregon, Shelley and Ed Key of Royal City, Washington and Craig and Emily Houston of Bremerton, Washington; JoAnn and K.C. Heckenberg of Astoria, Oregon and children, Paul and Dorrie Caruana of Gearheart, Oregon, Jeff and Andrea Hale and Mary Beth Hale both of Astoria, Oregon, Julie Nowell of Bend, Oregon, Joel and Jessica Patterson of Coudersport, Pennsylvania; Sara Lois Cowan of Portland, Oregon and Robert Cowan of Astoria, Oregon and children, Amy Cowan of Portland, Oregon, Ryan Cowan of Pendleton, Oregon and Kelly and Brad Splitorf of Fountain Hill, Arizona; 33 great grandchildren and three sisters, Frieda Martens and Helen Wall both of Abbotsford, British Columbia and Bertha and Jim Gamble of St. Petersburg, Florida and many other relatives and friends.

Memorial services will be held at 10 am, Saturday, December 23, 2006 at the Bible Baptist Church in Astoria, Oregon. Fouts Funeral Home in Woodbine, Iowa was in charge of arrangements.