G.T. Armstrong

Funeral services for Mr. G.T. Armstrong will be held Monday, January 7, 2008, at 10:00 AM at the Collegetown Assembly of God Church with Pastor Jim Ragsdale and Pastor Dan McClure officiating. Interment will follow in Monroe Memorial Park under the direction of Kilpatrick Funeral Home of West Monroe, LA.G.T. ?Big Daddy? Armstrong left this world for his Heavenly home on January 5, 2008. At the time of his death, Mr. Armstrong was in the Cornerstone Rehabilitation Hospital in West Monroe, LA. He was 86 years of age, born December 17, 1921, in Winnsboro, LA, and had resided in Monroe, LA, since 1960. Mr. Armstrong was a World War II veteran and founder/president of Armstrong Builders, Inc., of Monroe, until his retirement in 2001. He was a long time member of Collegetown Assembly of God Church, where he served faithfully for many years as a Bible teacher and deacon.Mr. Armstrong is preceded in death by his parents, Mr. & Mrs. George T. Armstrong, a stepmother, Claudia Armstrong, and a sister, Nellie Armstrong Bozeman, all of Winnsboro, a brother, Allen Armstrong, of Silsbee, TX, and a grandson, John Timothy Graves, of Monroe.He is survived by his wife, Linda Armstrong of West Monroe, and her children and grandchildren Shanna Sanders and husband, Steve, and their children Gavin and Mary Ella, all of West Monroe, as well as four children: a daughter, Janis Jan McDonald and husband, S.T., of Winnsboro, and their children, grandchildren and great grandson- Denise Hardy and husband, Davis, and their sons, Dave and Derek, of Monroe; Johnette Quijas and daughter, Victoria, of Alexandria; Jennifer Tarver and children, Jon and Sara, and grandson, Nathaniel, all of West Monroe, and Carol McDonald of Monroe; a son, Gary Armstrong and wife, Sheila, of Monroe, and their children and grandchildren- Kathy Lewis and sons, Brandon and Dylan, Mark Armstrong and wife, Jenifer, and their sons, Caleb and Colby, all of Monroe, and Lisa Spillers and husband, Chad, and their daughter Amilee, of Baton Rouge, LA; a son, Randy Armstrong and wife, Tracy, of Farmerville, and their son Brian Armstrong and wife, LeeAnn, of Creedmore, NC; a daughter, LaTisha Lux and husband, R.J., and their daughter, April, all of Monroe; and the mother of his four children, Nell Armstrong Russell, of Gilbert, LA. After graduating from Winnsboro High School and serving in the US Army during World War II, Mr. Armstrong returned to Winnsboro and opened the Four Way Caf© on Prairie St. He attended carpentry school at night on a G.I. Bill while operating the caf©. After completing his carpentry training, he sold the caf© to the Hammons family and entered the field of construction work. He worked for several different contractors for many years in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas, gaining the knowledge and experience to eventually return to Louisiana where he accepted an offer to join his first cousin?s company, Armstrong Construction in Monroe. After several years with that company, in the early 1970's, Mr. Armstrong established his own construction company in Monroe, Armstrong Builders, Inc. Some of his children, Randy and LaTisha, and LaTish?s husband, R.J. worked closely with their father until his retirement in 2001. At that time, they purchased the company and continued its operation. Mr. Armstrong?s legacy as a commercial builder continues through his children?s efforts to date. G.T. Armstrong was a tower of strength to those who knew him well. His unwavering faith in his God and his church saw him through many of life?s trials. Even when his physical strength failed him in recent years, his prayers remained vibrant and faith filled. His last blessing of the family meal on Thanksgiving, 2007, was unchanged from life-long, previous family gatherings. He first thanked God for giving his Son, Jesus Christ, for his salvation and that of his children and grandchildren. Then, he thanked God for one more opportunity to be with his extended family and asked God?s blessings to be on them all. Finally, he thanked God for the food that He had so ?graciously provided? that it might be a ?nourishment to our bodies that they might be used for Your service? ? same prayer, same God, same daddy, same ?Big Daddy?. He will be sorely missed by all, but we rejoice with him as he rejoices with his Lord and Master in his eternal home. Pallbearers are: S.T. McDonald, R.J. Lux, Mark and Brian Armstrong, Davis, Dave, and Derek Hardy. Honorary pallbearers are: Tim Ross, Melvin Crawford, Joe Hooter, Roy Cumpton, Robert Townsend and Jerry Smead.The family wishes to extend their gratitude to his caregiver, Elois Browhow, for her devoted and loving care prior to his death.Visitation will be held on Sunday evening from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the Kilpatrick Funeral Home of West Monroe, LA.