| Graduation Year | Class of 1965 |
| Date of Passing | Jul 25, 2015 |
| About | J. Bruce Armstrong, 68, passed away July 25th, after a 7 year battle with multiple myeloma. Mr. Armstrong was born January 26, 1947 to Lucille & Guy Armstrong. He graduated from Grand Island Senior High School in 1965 and served the United States Navy from 1965-1969 where he was stationed first in Morocco and later Hawaii. After his service in the Navy, he became a dispatcher for the Nebraska State Patrol for almost 40 years until his retirement. Bruce married Diane Reed, classmate, July 20, 1969. On their 46th wedding anniversary, Bruce wrote this on Facebook to Diane. "July 20, 1969, as the astronauts were preparing to land on the moon, went down as an important date in American history. It was a Sunday afternoon and as I was watching the TV coverage, I kept returning to my bedroom to finish getting dressed for another important date in my personal history. At 3 PM, that Sunday afternoon, Diane Reed and I said our wedding vows at the Methodist Church across the street from the Walnut Jr. High School in Grand Island. It was a day I will never forget. That was 46 years ago and I love my wife even more for putting up with me for all these years. We have our three wonderful daughters, a granddaughter who has graduated from the University of Nebraska, here in Lincoln and a grandson who has graduated from preschool and will begin kindergarten in August. Life has been good to me over all my years. Four years service in the Navy and not quite forty years working for the State of Nebraska and now retirement. Makes me very happy to be an American." Survivors include his wife, Diane Reed Armstrong of Lincoln; daughters Stephanie Daugherty of Lincoln;Stacey McDonnell and husband Adam of Independence, MO and Kristin Armstrong of Lincoln; grandchildren Amanda Kessler of Lincoln & Morgan McDonnell of Independence, MO; his mother Lucille Armstrong of Grand Island; sister Barbara Carlson and husband Tom and children Joel & Jeremy of Grand Island. Bruce is preceded in death by his father Guy Armstrong. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bruce's honor to the cancer center at the Nebraska Medicine in Omaha. UNMC provided excellent care to Bruce, extending his life for many additional years. |
