Obituary of Edna H. Armstrong

I am an only child. After earliest childhood, without the reprimands of siblings to make me change, I called my parents "Mother" and "Father", not "Mom" and "Dad". This suited our affectionate but necessarily socially correct household. Mother was gracious. She said, "There is never any excuse for rudeness." How I wish that even I, let alone the rest of the world, could live by that guideline! She hailed from the little recognized state of North Dakota, a fact of which she remained always proud. She was also proud of being valedictorian of her high school class, and thereby winning several scholarships, one of which she followed to business college in Minneapolis, Minnesota. And while there the US government requested her services during World War II. Washington, DC during those war years must have been an extraordinary place, not only as a world political center, but also as a place full of young people from all over, like herself. She worked for the US Census Bureau, and met and there married my father, who worked for the FBI, criminal justice department, under J. Edgar Hoover. (Yes, he had stories.) These were years that appeared to be lifetime highlights for her. I was born there in 1950. Following my father's take over of the family accounting business in Philadelphia, out family moved to this area. She was always proud of her secretarial skills, holding the position of secretary to the Director of Development of the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, for many years. Her work in the many areas of the church life of Saint Peter's Lutheran Church was also important to her. She was a member, and officer, of many organizations, not only those traditionally for women, but also the (formerly male) church council. For the church's Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival, she began as (the very necessary) kitchen help, and progressed to being a member of the choir. These performances were something to which she looked forward for many years. People she knew in all phases of her life are saying that she will be missed. I hope she knows it. I love and miss you too, Mother. Friends may call Friday 12/21 from 10-11am at Saint Peters Lutheran Church 3025 Church Rd. Lafayette Hill, PA.. Funeral Services will be held Friday 12/21/12 at 11:00 am Burial will be in the George Washington Memorial Park, . Contributions may be made to Saint Peters Lutheran Church..