Birth Date:
1944-07-09
Graduation year:
1962
Deceased Date:
2004-12-01
Obituary:
Ann Beddoes Armstrong passed away Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004 at her home in Fort Collins of pancreatic cancer. Ann was born July 9, 1944, in Glendale,Calif., the daughter of Donald Beddoes and Peggy Larsen. Ann grew up in Denver and also spent time as a child in California and Utah. She graduated from Wheat Ridge High School. Ann attended ColoradoState University and graduated with a degree in horticulture. She met David Armstrong at CSU, and they married soon after graduation. Together, Ann and David lived in Boston, where their son, John, was born, and in Lawrence, Kansas, where their daughter, Laura, was born. The family settled in Boulder in 1971. Ann created a successful career from her love of plants and nature. When her kids were young, she worked at the CU Greenhouses in Boulder and at Sturtz and Copeland. In 1987, she began working for the City of Boulder Mountain Parks. At the time of her death, Ann was one of two plan ecologists for theCity of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, with a focus on protecting the forests and meadows of Boulder's stunning mountain backdrop. Ann was an active member of the Colorado Native Plant Society for more than 20 years. She was respected and admired for her knowledge of local flowers, plants and trees, and her willingness to share her passion. Ann's passion for plants was surpassed only by her love for her family and friends. Ann was thrilled by the births of her granddaughter, Emma, in February 2002 and her grandson, Brody, in October 2003. She was excited to meet her third grandchild, due in April 2005. Ann is survived by her son, John Armstrong, his wife, Suzanne Nayduch, and their son, Brody, of Fort Collins; her daughter, Laura Armstrong Stone, her husband Ken Stone, and their daughter, Emma, of Fort Collins, her sister and brother-in-law, Sue and Glenn Liane, and their children, Doug and Jenny, of Littleton; her mother, Peggy Larsen, of Morrison, her stepmother, Georgia Beddoes, of Denver; her former husband, David Armstrong, of Loveland, and his extended family: his parents, John and Elizabeth Armstrong, of Plattsburg, MO; his brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Jan Armstrong, of Maggie Valley, N.C., and their daughter Shannon; his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and John McMillan, of King City, MO, and their four daughters, Laura, Erin, Sara and Kelly; his sister-in-law, Ann Cowen Armstrong, of Bloomington, IN and her children, Nancy and Michael; and her stepbrothers and their wives, Steve and Elaine Cooper, of Platteville, and David and Sandy Cooper, of Meridian, ID; and her step-sister and her husband, Sue and Wilbert Miller, of Pasco, WA. Ann is also survived by her devoted golden retriever, Lily. Ann was preceded in death by her father, Donald Beddoes; her stepmother, Dorothy; and her brother-in-law, Daniel Armstrong. Ann leaves behind a large and loving community of family, friends and colleagues who respected her incredible intellect, generosity, compassionate spirit and her deep commitment to peace and social justice. We will dearly miss our Mum, Grammie, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, colleague and mentor. Family and friends will celebrate Ann's life at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, 2004, at Foothills Unitarian Church, 1815 Yorktown Ave., in Fort Collins. The family will establish the Ann B. Armstrong Horticulture Scholarship with the Horticulture Department at Colorado State University. Donations toward this effort may be sent to John Armstrong, 004 Mantz Place, Fort Collins, CO 80521.