Bernard E. Armstrong was born May 17, 1925 to Sarah & Ernest Armstrong in Ft. Fairfield, Maine. They were a family of potato farmers with fourteen children. Bernard began working on the farm at an early age. He plowed the field with horses, he weeded, he harvested the potatoes. Every morning and evening he had to milk the cows and help out with the chores that the farm required. Yes, he talked about walking 5 miles to school in the winter and (as he would love to quote Bill Cosby) “uphill, both ways.” He learned to work hard and he worked hard his whole life.
He served in World War II in the Army Air Corps in England where he loaded bombs into the planes and was therefore part of the D-Day invasion. He married Jean Everett on February 15, 1946 and they had four children: Terry, Gale, Roger and Bonnie. In 1955, in search of work, he followed several family members who moved to Michigan. He worked as an operating engineer running a front end loader in the heat of summer and the cold of winter, in busy times and sometimes long periods of lay offs. In the 1980’s he received a disability retirement due to years of sand and dust blowing in his eyes and causing major problems. But retirement wasn’t for him and in 1988 he began working as a courier for Select Title and continued in that job until last summer. This was the perfect job for him. Bernard was a “people person” and he made friends at all the offices he delivered to. On his birthday, there would be a party at each stop. Lots of cake!
Bernard was madly in love with his wife, Jean. They did everything together and he spoiled her and pampered her until her dying day. He took her shopping! They loved to golf and play cards with friends. They spoiled their grandchildren and their great-grandchildren. They loved trips to Las Vegas. In her last years of life when Jean was very ill, Bernard took care of her every need, and when she was hospitalized, he stayed with her all day almost every day. Her death was very difficult for Bernard and he missed her dearly. Jean loved flowers, and every summer he made sure there were lots of flowers growing at her grave. He tended those flowers almost daily. It’s quite a love story, and we only wish we could have seen the happy reunion of Bernard and Jean this past Thursday night. They had four children, ten grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.
Everyone loved Bernard. He was cheerful. He would wake up in the morning singing. He was selfless, outgoing, loving, kind, caring, and honest. He leaves behind family, friends and co-workers who will deeply miss him.
Funeral from Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 404 E. Liberty, Milford, Monday, March 8, at 11AM with Pastor David Classen officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Friends may visit Sunday 1-8PM. For further information call 248-684-6645.