Etheleen Armstrong

Etheleen Enloe was born on July 30, 1923, at Olean, Missouri. Her parents: James Denver Enloe and Dona Belle Hall Enloe. Etheleen graduated from Russellville (MO) High School in 1941, and Central Business Collage at Sedalia, MO, in 1943. She worked for the US Navy Department in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1943 to 1945. On February 4, 1945, Etheleen married Roland Benjamin Armstrong at Galveston, Texas, where they made their first home. In January, 1946, they moved to Columbia, Missouri, where her husband entered the University of Missouri, as a journalism student. Their first child, Susan Kay, was born at Columbia, MO, on September 10, 1946. In February 1946, they moved to Shawnee, Oklahoma where her husband attended Oklahoma Baptist University and she was on the staff of the University Business Office. In August 1948, they moved to Kansas City, Kansas, where her husband was a graduate student at Central Baptist Theological Seminary and she was secretary to the President of the Seminary. In July 1952, she and her husband were appointed as missionaries by the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention to serve the Spanish speaking congregation at Tampa, Florida. A son, Mark Allan, was born on March 17, 1953, at Tampa, Florida. Etheleen’s husband was called to active duty, as a US Army Chaplain, on January 4, 1957. The family moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in March 1957, and then to Swaebisch Hall, Germany, in August, 1958. They moved to Hanau, Germany in June 1960. Daughter, Sarah Jill, was born on August 4, 1961, at the US Army Hospital, in Frankfurt, Germany. The family returned to the United States in 1961, arriving at Fort Leonard Wood, on October 1, 1961, where they lived for almost 4 years. When her husband left for Korea in 1965, Etheleen and the children moved to Columbia, MO, where Susan was a student at Stephens College and Etheleen was the secretary to the President of Christian College (now Columbia College). In June 1967, the family returned to Germany for a tour of duty at Heilbronn. In January 1970, Etheleen and the children to Columbia, MO, where they lived until her husband returned from Viet Nam. While in Columbia, Etheleen again served as secretary to the President of Christian College. In June 1971, the family moved to Fort Leonard Wood where they lived until Chaplain Armstrong’s retirement from the Army in September 1973. Etheleen was secretary to the Laquey Superintendent of Schools from 1977 to her retirement in 1990. There are five grandchildren: Michelle Rutherford, Anthony Marino, Sean Skaggs, Justin Skaggs, and Tracy Wilson. There are three great grandchildren: Benjamin Marino, Isabella Marino and Kayla Rutherford. Etheleen has lived with her family in Waynesville, MO, since July 1973. Etheleen passed away early in the morning February 2, 2011, in her Waynesville home. Etheleen survived her husband Ben Armstrong by two and a half years. Her family will miss her, but are glad her passing was peaceful while sleeping in her own bed. As she said on several occasions during the last few years, she would soon be going home. Rest in peace with those you loved Funeral services were held at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, February 6, 2011 in the First Baptist Church of Waynesville with Rev. Dr. Dennis Crowder officiating. Soloist Becky Lercher sang “Church in the Wildwood”, “Rock of Ages” and “He Leadeth Me”. Serving as escorts were David Christenson, Steve Pryer, John Wilson, Sean Skaggs, Roger Enloe and Jay Enloe. Burial in Enloe Cemetery of Russellville, Missouri. Services under the direction of Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville/St. Robert. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Etheleen Armstrong to the Denver J. Enloe Scholarship Fund of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home and may be left at the funeral home.

Etheleen Armstrong

July 30, 1923 - February 2, 2011