Donald Armstrong

Donald William Armstrong, 81, passed away of natural causes in Whitefish on Oct. 18, 2011.

He was born in Havre on Dec. 30, 1929, to Donald A. and Elin Armstrong.

He was raised in Havre with his three siblings, served in the Marine Corps for three years and worked on a dairy farm in Chewelah, Wash., for nine years before moving to the Flathead Valley. He worked at Plum Creek Plywood in Columbia Falls for 30 years, retiring in 1995.

Don married Margaret "Martie" (Jones) Armstrong in 1953. Together they raised nine children.

Don enjoyed fishing, boating, woodworking, taking care of his flowers in the summer and a beer or two. He was a lifetime member of the Whitefish Lake Boat Club, very active in the Whitefish Lake Regatta and was a pirate in the Whitefish Winter Carnival for many years.

Don is preceded in death by his parents Donald and Elin Armstrong, sister Lillian Kaleva, son Gordon Armstrong and daughter Maxine Norgaard.

Don is survived by his wife Margaret "Martie" Armstrong; sons Ronald Armstrong and wife Magdalena ("Maggie"), of Aloha, Ore., Donald B. Armstrong and wife Susan ("Sue"), of Ogden, Utah, and Randy Armstrong and wife Leslie, of Columbia Falls; daughters Debra Armstrong, of Roosevelt, Utah, Gail Shepard and husband Tim ("Shorty"), of Columbia Falls, Linda Hutchens and husband Joe, of Columbia Falls, and Donna Bruner, of Whitefish; 19 grandchildren; 26 great grandchildren; brother Dave Armstrong, of Billings; sister Delores "Dolly" Farley, of Missoula; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life was held Oct. 22, 2011, at Austin Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of choice.