Lyle Armstrong

LYLE EDWARD ARMSTRONG Lyle Armstrong, 95, of Atlantic, passed away Saturday, June 06, 2009 at Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa. Lyle Edward was born the son of Clarence E. and Hester (McCarty) Armstrong, August 2, 1913, in Lewis, Iowa. He grew up and attended school in Lewis. Lyle was married to Letha Leota Louise Walter, February 6, 1934. The couple was blessed with a family of six children. They started farming during the Depression and had no crop their first few years of marriage. They farmed until they retired to a home in Atlantic, Iowa. His hobbies and interests include fishing; woodworking (clocks, many fine pieces of furniture for wife and family, built birdhouses and raised blue birds and martins; bowling; hunting; horseshoes; 4-H projects; horseman (riding "Bess"); and he enjoyed his pool table in his basement. Lyle was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Griswold and St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic, He also was a long time member of Atlantic International Kiwanis Club. Among his favorite things were fishing trips in Canada; gardening; feeding the squirrels; croquet at Wisslers and Ponts; and playing sports with children. He treasured their Canada and California trips and an Alaskan cruise. He had the fun of appearing on the "I've Got a Secret" program in 1964, and it was the first time the immediate family had been together in one place since the birth of their daughter, Carol.The the birth of their daughter, Carol. Lyle will be remembered as a wonderful father, making grandfather clocks for himself and each of his children; as a life-long farmer in the Lewis, Iowa area and for tending livestock. He worked with his father and brother threshing for many years. He was a hard worker and loved his family; was honest, inventive, well-organized and precise; well-dressed; competitive; kind; loved children; loved his cars; had a Johnny Carson sense of humor and grin; was a man of few words; and did not like mountain driving. His survivors include his wife Letha; his children, Lyla Berry of Beaverton, OR, Teresa Emig (Bill), Flagstaff, AZ, Elaine VanWinkle (Rip) of Omaha, NE, Raymond (Nancy) Armstrong of Atlantic, IA, Linda (LeRoy) Lazure of Omaha, NE, and Carol (Tony) Leighton of Lewis, IA; grandchildren, Lynn Berry (Jerrid Sedlmeyer) of Vernonia, OR, Bart Berry (Michelle) of Beaverton, OR, Mark (Amy) Stavros of Gulf Breeze, Fl, Michelle (Andrew) Lewis of Scottsdale, AZ, Michael (Janelle) Spoto of Omaha, NE, Anne Marie (Alan) Schoening of Council Bluffs, IA, Lynnette (David) Tuttle of Lexington, KY, Scott (Marci) Armstrong of Tiffin, IA, Lorraine (Matthew) Rusch of Omaha, NE, Patrick (Kathryn) Lazure of Omaha, NE, Douglas Lazure of Denver, Colorado, Andrew Leighton of Ames, IA, Matthew (Sandra) Leighton of Griswold, IA, Jennifer and Stephanie Leighton of Lewis, IA; great-grandchildren, Patrick and Ryan Berry; Austin, Rebecca, Rachel, Zachary, Mark Joseph, David, Joshua Stavros (and one due in July); Chandler, Matthew, and Daniel Lewis; Dana (Terry McDowell), Paul, Nyssa and Sean Spoto; Amanda and Alex Schoening; Ethan and Paige Tuttle; Camden and Cade Armstrong; Thomas and Daniel Rusch; and Lauren Lazure; great-great grandchild, Jadyn Spoto; a sister-in-law, Glendale Armstrong; and many nieces and nephews and other relatives. He is preceded in death by his father and mother; sister Louise Armstrong; brother Gail Armstrong; sister Mildred (Armstrong) Buboltz and Brother-in-law Joe Buboltz.Funeral Information The funeral will be Friday, June 12, at 10:30 A.M at S.S. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic. Monsignor Lawrence Beeson of Des Moines, IA will officiate. The family invites friends to join them at the Catholic Parish Center for lunch following the funeral mass. The committal service will be held, after the luncheon, in the Catholic Cemetery west of the Walnut Catholic Church at 1:30 P.M.. There will be a Rosary at 6:30 P.M. on Thursday evening, June 11, and the family will meet with friends until 8:00 P.M. Memorials are to be designated to the Creighton School of Nursing ~ Linda Lazure Scholarship for Nursing Students in honor of Lyle and Letha Armstrong. Roland Funeral Service is caring for Lyle's family and the arrangements. Family and friends may sign Lyle's guest book at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.