Obituaries

Loretta Edna Armstrong

Photo of Loretta Edna Armstrong
Loretta Edna Armstrong, 99, of Springdale, died Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012. She was born March 13, 1913, in Cresco, Iowa, to William and Mary Schneider Slifka. Loretta was baptized and confirmed in her faith at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Cresco, where she also attended elementary school. She was accepted to attend Good Counsel Academy, a girl's convent school, in Mankato, Minn., during her ninth grade year. The following year she returned to Cresco High School, where she graduated with honors, took part in many plays and was a member of the Thespian Society. After high school, she married Gerald M. Armstrong and together they moved to South Dakota for a short time during the Great Depression. They returned to Iowa where they farmed for many years until moving to the Ozarks in 1958. Loretta worked at Daisy Manufacturing in Rogers for 23 years. At the age of 70, she started a new career at Wal-Mart, in Springdale, where she retired after 24 years. She was a member of St. Raphael Catholic Church for 54 years. She was active in the Ladies Altar Society, arranging the altar flowers, often bringing flowers from her own garden. At the age of 92, she traveled with her church group to Rome to see the Pope. Loretta loved to garden, often receiving praise for her beautiful flowers. She enjoyed the theater and performed in the Arts Center of the Ozarks production of "My Three Angels." She enjoyed reading and socializing. She volunteered at the Literacy Center helping young children with reading difficulties. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1968; a daughter, Shirley Ann Garrison in 2003; and by two brothers; and three sisters. She is survived by three children, Terry Armstrong and wife, Pat, of Jordan, Minn., Tim Armstrong and wife, Christina, of Springdale, Geraldine Alvis and husband, Gilbert, of Tontitown; 19 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 5, at St. Raphael Catholic Church in Springdale. Interment will be at St. Joseph Cemetery in Tontitown. A Rosary will be at 5 p.m. Sunday at Heritage Funeral Home, followed by visitation until 7 p.m. Messages may be sent to the family by visiting the online guest book at heritageofnwa.com.

Published November 2, 2012

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