Shirley Mae Armstrong

Shirley Mae (Martin) Armstrong, wife of the late, Jesse Watson Armstrong III, passed away in her Corvallis home on May 17, 2019. 

She is survived by her three children, Kathleen Theresa Armstrong of Vermont, Deborah Ann Armstrong and husband, Franklin Hann of Corvallis, and Denise Renae White and husband, Travis White of Texas. She is also survived by nine grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren.

Shirley spent the majority of her 55 years of married life as a Navy wife (having moved 32 times). She was a public school teacher for 25 years teaching every grade K-12. She retired from the Frederick County School System and began her travels, cruising around the world with family and friends. 

She was a 20 year Girl Scout Leader, an avid bowler, a farmer, and horse breeder. She loved playing any game and earned her Bronze Master in Tournament Bridge. Shirley loved life and was always experiencing something new and different.

Shirley’s family history includes being a direct descendent Leonidas Merritt, an iron-ore pioneer in Mountain Iron, Minnesota. During the 1890s the Merritt family owned the largest iron mine in the world, which ultimately become the United States Steel Corporation. This story is told in a book called Seven Iron Men. 

She will be missed by all who knew her. 

Interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery.

AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home is handling the arrangements (www.aasum-dufour.com) 

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