Edward Lee "Eddie" Armstrong

Edward Lee “Eddie” Armstrong, of Kosse, at age 84 left his earthly struggles behind to go home to be with the Lord on Thursday, October 1, 2015. He passed away at home with his family at his side. Visitation will be held at Groesbeck Funeral Home on Saturday, October 3, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 P.M. on Sunday, October 4, 2015, at the First Baptist Church of Kosse, with Rev. Daryl Hatley, Baptist minister, and Rev. Tracy Sims of the Central Baptist Church of Thornton officiating. Pianists will be Cora Lea Burns and Kelly Young. Burial will follow in the Kosse City Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Joel Armstrong, Lee Armstrong, Brian Stewart, Felipe Valdez, Jeremy Burton, and Steven Wells. Honorary pallbearers will be the Deacons of the First Baptist Church of Kosse, and Jared Eno, Glenn Maddox, and Jimmy O’Neal. Eddie was born September 19, 1931 to Hunter Daggett Armstrong and Myrtis (Taylor) Armstrong in San Angelo. He grew up in San Angelo, graduating from Lakeview High School and then attending San Angelo Junior College, where he had played both high school and college football, baseball and basketball. His love of sports continued in his adult life playing fast-pitch softball for many more years. Eddie served in the U. S. Army Airborn at Fort Bragg, NC from 1952 through 1954, training as a paratrooper as well as a Green Beret. After his honorable discharge he moved to Corpus Christi where his parents lived and was working in construction. He was introduced by a mutual friend to his future wife who was a student at the University of Corpus Christi. Eddie was united in marriage with Ruth Lynn Harper on August 1, 1955 in the First Baptist Church of Calallen, TX. They made their home in Corpus and then in Portland, where he worked with his Dad (Armstrong Builders), building homes in the surrounding area. For ten years or so, after a full week’s work, Eddie and the family would travel all over Texas for him to play left-field in fast-pitch softball tournaments on the Reilly Rebels team. In 1974, after suffering some heart problems, Eddie semi-retired and he and Ruth Lynn moved to the Whiterock community near Bremond. Retirement didn’t last long and he and Ruth Lynn and son Shorty re-entered the building trade around Kosse, and later roofing, and he stayed active until the last three or four years. During this time, Eddie gave much of his time to serve the Lord in building churches. He remodeled the Baptist Church in Kosse, then built a church in Houston for a former pastor, followed by four or five churches built in Seattle and Alaska during summers he and Ruth Lynn spent in Alaska. They made many great acquaintances and enjoyed the time there through the last trip in 1991. He enjoyed deer hunting in his home area and enjoyed his grandchildren. He was a member of the Baptist Church at Whiterock. When they moved their membership to the First Baptist Church of Kosse, he served there as a Deacon. Eddie was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Homer Armstrong; and a niece, D’Anne Burns. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ruth Lynn Armstrong of Kosse; son and daughter-in-law, Lynnard Lee “Shorty” and Margare'y Armstrong; daughter and son-in-law, Sharree Jo and Lew Stewart of Groesbeck; five grandchildren and their spouses: Joel and Crystal Armstrong of Temple, Lee and Sally Armstrong of Belton, Margare'y and Felipe Valdez of Angleton; Brian and Shauna Stewart of Waco; and Jeremy and Jennifer Burton of Indianapolis, Indiana; and five great grandchildren: Jenna and Abigail Armstrong of Temple, Audrey and Katie Stewart of Waco, and Evan Burton of Indianapolis, IN.