William "Bill" Evers Armstrong

William “Bill” Evers Armstrong was born to William and Myrtle Armstrong on Oct. 10, 1934, in Fayette, Ohio. Of German, Irish and Scottish descent, he grew up in Tedrow, Ohio, (population 34) with his younger brother Jerry. His youngest brother Mike was born 18 years after Bill.

Bill’s favorite childhood toy was an erector set with which he built cars and windmills. He loved bike riding and created ramps to do jumps and flew over the handlebars three times as a child. His family vacationed at Devil’s Lake many summers, and he once saved his cousin from drowning by rescuing him 12 feet from the bottom of the lake.

Bill said the thing that most shaped who he is was the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. He considered one of his greatest accomplishments getting to go to Boys State for a POW war camp simulation. Later he would serve in the National Guard. Bill played guitar, loved photography and his favorite book was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Bill went to Wauseon High School (home of the Indians) where his favorite subjects were industrial art, math and chemistry. He played basketball, lettered in track and for football, his coaches said, “he didn’t see much action, but his spirit was an inspiration to the team.” His senior yearbook quote was “Busy as a one-armed man with a nettle rash pasting on wallpaper.” Bill graduated in 1952 with a class of 47.

Over time, he would also live in Canada, Alaska, Illinois and Indiana. Bill was a waiter (for one night), a railroad timekeeper, a radar technician, a cryptographer and then an electrical engineer for most of his life.

His biggest pet peeve was people who interrupt. And Bill adopted his dad’s philosophy: If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.

Among his loves: Hamfesting was his favorite pastime. Karen Carpenter, Anne Murray and the Osmonds were his favorite singers. White Christmas, Singin’ in the Rain and the Court Jester were his favorite movies. His favorite foods were meatloaf and cherry cheesecake.

Bill would meet his future wife Patricia Jean Dutko at the Streator, Ill., Grove Supper Club in 1957 while he was in radar training to go to the DEW Line in Alaska. After that single meeting and many love letters later, they would marry in Chicago in 1958 by a justice of the peace. Pat affectionately called him “Willy Bill,” and they would be married for 55 years until her death of cancer in 2013.

They had four kids, Robin (David) Burbrink, Randy (Jen) Armstrong, Laurie (Chris) Cox and Tina-Marie (Chris) Adams. Grandkids include Anderson, Susan, Creighton, Jeffrey, Kathleen, Brian, Emily, Conlan, Megan, Nicholas, Waverly, Carson, Abigail, Kaline, Molly and Katie. And great grandkids are Asher, Alex, Liberty and Kasen.

Bill passed away peacefully on June 25, 2022, of heart failure at the age of 87. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 30, from 11 a.m. until the funeral service at 1 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 7701 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236. Burial will immediately follow at Rose Hill Cemetery at 171 S. Mason-Montgomery Road, Mason, OH, 45040.

Memorials can be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Hospice of Middletown and Ohio Living Mount Pleasant.