Elizabeth Armstrong: A Little Rock Woman Who Knew Where She Wanted To Be

Last week, I posed some questions about Little Rock along with some speculative answers to the same. Those questions still stand. I invited people to discuss them here. That invitation remains open even after this new post. This blog isn't meant to be a personal one, but sometimes the personal and the urban convergence even here.

I didn't update the blog Sunday because on Sunday morning the Jenny and I learned her grandmother, Elizabeth Armstrong, had died at age 89. There are two houses on the family property in south Little Rock. One is the house in which she was born. The other is the house in which she raised her family along with her husband, Lyle, and it's also the house in which she passed away. That's a rare, rare thing these days — to be born, live and die in essentially the same place. Now, that's not to say she never left Little Rock or never got out of her neighborhood. Jenny's grandmother had a life of quiet but significant accomplishment. You can read about it below. However, the thing I want to note here is her strong sense of place and attachment to her home, her church and, I think, her hometown. Little Rock may not always appear to have a strong, clear sense of itself, but I think my grandmother-in-law had a strong sense of what it was, or at least a strong sense of what it was to her.

I wish I could have had more time to talk to her about it, her memories and her thoughts. One thing life has taught me though is that there never is enough time. We all need to savor our time, really pay attention to where we are and remember to cherish each other. That gets said at almost every funeral. It'll likely get said or be felt by those at Wednesday's funeral. Elizabeth Armstrong was a great Little Rock native and person. I could have learned more from her. However, I'm going to use her passing to motivate me to continue to get to know and study her city. I think she would have liked that. Until next week when we will resume our regular blogging, read a little bit about her.

Elizabeth 

Fawn Jones Armstrong, 89, of Little Rock, passed away Sunday morning, October 14, 2012 at her home. She was born July 31, 1923 in Little Rock. Elizabeth was a life-long musician, organist and church leader at Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church for over 40 years. She was also an assistant librarian and music teacher at the Arkansas School for the Blind, translating words and music into Braille, and taught piano and organ to countless private students.
She married Lyle E. Armstrong on October 16, 1943. While he was serving overseas for two years she worked for the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II, drawing maps. Once Lyle returned from the war they moved from Little Rock to Norfolk, Nebraska, where they started a family. In 1951 they moved to Cuba, Missouri, and co-owned and operated Armstrong Jewelry. In 1958 the family moved back to Little Rock. Elizabeth and Lyle were married for 54 happy years until his death in 1998. They raised four children, who all graduated from Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. and became United Methodist ministers serving Arkansas churches.

Finishing a degree she began in 1943, she graduated summa cum laude at age 65 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Composition from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She composed a number of choral and instrumental works and collaborated with her children in writing several published musicals.

She was an avid amateur radio operator under the call sign KB5PLQ and made friends over the airwaves throughout the country.

Elizabeth was passionate about her church, her family and outreach to the needy. She included everyone she met in her circle of love and welcomed people of all beliefs, opinions, race, and persuasions to her home, a place that was always filled with caring, laughter, whimsy and hugs. She valued Christian love far more than judgment.

In her later years, Elizabeth baked many loaves of bread each week and distributed them to friends old and new, demonstrating the spirit of generosity and openness that defined her life.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Sam E. Jones and Hattie May Myers Jones, her brother Donald Ross Jones, her husband Lyle Eugene Armstrong and their son Rev. Donald F. Armstrong, all of Little Rock.

Surviving family members include her sons Rev. Roger E. Armstrong (Linda) of North Little Rock and Rev. Robert C. Armstrong (Mary) of Dubuque, Iowa; daughter-in-law Yvonne Armstrong of Little Rock; daughter Rev. Anne Holcomb (David) of Little Rock; grandchildren Jennifer Boulden (Ben) of Little Rock; Laura Shachmut (Kyle) of Newton, Massachusetts; Michael Armstrong of Little Rock; Patrick Holcomb of Little Rock; and great-granddaughters Abigail Shachmut and Elizabeth Shachmut of Newton, Massachusetts. She leaves a host of other extended family and friends young and old who loved her well and will miss her smile and spirit.

Visitation with the family will be held Tuesday, October 16 from 7-9 p.m. at Quapaw Quarter United Methodist Church, 1601 Louisiana Street in Little Rock. A memorial service in celebration of her life and legacy will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, also at the church, with Rev. Thompson Murray officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Music Fund at Quapaw Quarter UMC.