Obituary
Patricia “Pat” Ellis Armstrong, 85, passed away peacefully with family by her side on April 12, 2021. Pat will be sorely missed as a devoted wife and mother as well as a treasured friend to many. She is survived by her daughter Susan Mueller and husband Peter of Philadelphia; her sons, David Armstrong and wife Elise of Goffstown, NH, and Steven Armstrong and wife Rose-Lynn of Windham, NH; her grandchildren Tyler Mueller, Nathan Mueller, Philip Armstrong, Andrew Armstrong, Jack Armstrong, and Annika Armstrong. Pat’s late husband of 63 years, Marshall “Jack” Armstrong, recently died in September 2020.
Pat was born May 25, 1935, in Middlebury, VT, the daughter of the late Clayton James Ellis and Florence Ellis (Fenn) and sister of the late Ruth Ellis Rouse, White River Junction, VT. She grew up in Middlebury, VT, where she met her husband, Jack, at Middlebury High School. She was an avid musician throughout high school, college and beyond. Pat earned an undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from University of New Hampshire.
After college, Pat married her high-school sweetheart, Jack, and they lived briefly in Burlington, VT, until moving to Virginia/Metro DC area. Pat taught music in the Virginia public school system until they started a family. In 1968, Pat and Jack moved back to New England where they resided in Harvard and then Concord, MA. Pat was an avid classical musician. She taught private piano lessons and played violin, in several Massachusetts orchestras. When she and Jack relocated to Peterborough England for a year, she learned viola and has played viola ever since. When she and Jack started wintering at The Villages, she became an active member of The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as The Villages String Orchestra.
Pat was a passionate, talented, and generous knitter and quilter. She loved to create for others – all of her children and grandchildren were recipients of knitted sweaters, socks, and beautiful quilts. She owned a yarn shop for many years in Concord, MA. She was actively involved in several groups of The Villages Quilting Guild. Pat loved to play Mahjong and Bridge and thoroughly enjoyed all of the wonderful people she met through her varied interests. Pat enjoyed the fellowship she experienced through Sunday services and bible study at the New Covenant United Methodist Church, The Villages.
She and Jack eventually settled in Meredith, NH on Lake Winnipesaukee where they enjoyed summers with their children and grandchildren and the numerous friends who came to visit. Here, she shared her husband’s love for antique cars and all of the friends they met through tours and the Antique Auto Club of America (AACA) National and Local chapters they belonged to.
A service honoring Pat’s life will be held in Meredith, NH at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in memory of Patricia E. Armstrong to St Jude online at https://www.stjude.org/donate or by mail to 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or another charity of your choice.
Baldwin Brothers Funeral and Cremation Society at Spanish Springs, 1008 Bichara Blvd, The Villages, FL 32162, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit www.baldwincremation.com
Our deepest sympathy to the family she loved so very much.