Thomas Armstrong, age 89, of Lanesboro, Minn., died on August 3, 2024, at Gundersen Health Systems in La Crosse, Wis.
Thomas Emmett Armstrong was born on November 28, 1934, the first child of Thomas “Skinner” and Evelyn (Peterson) Armstrong, who lived in Harmony, Minn. He was a lively, precocious, verbal, charming toddler until he was tragically burned by scalding water in an accident, leaving him with permanent injuries including spinal meningitis and learning disabilities. Tom, however, was resilient enough to graduate from Harmony High School where he enjoyed singing in the chorus and pursuing his love of photography.
Tom was continually active in the Catholic Church, both as an altar boy and member of the church choir. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1954 and enjoyed his tour of duty in Germany. Upon his return, he joined his mother and father, who owned the Armstrong Insurance Agency, as a clerk and office assistant.
Tom’s father died in 1961 and his mother in 1998. Following his mother’s death, Tom moved to his mother’s hometown of Lanesboro, where he happily resided in a senior apartment building until his passing.
Tom would have turned 90 years of age in November. He had enjoyed fairly good health until this last month when he was hospitalized after suffering a fall, came down with COVID, had a bad case of pneumonia, suffered a collapsed lung and passed away on August 3, 2024.
He was preceded in death by his sister Ann (David) Nichols, brother Carroll Armstrong and brother in-law David Crafton.
Tom is survived by his sister Kay Crafton of Huntington Beach, Calif., brother Jon (Nancy) Armstrong of Maple Grove, Minn., and sister-in-law Laura Armstrong of Harmony, Minn., along with several nieces and nephews.
Tom will be remembered for his friendliness, easy going personality, good sense of humor and love of “Ole and Lena” jokes.
A graveside service and military honors will be held on August 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minn. Schmelzer (formerly Lindstrom) Funeral Home in Harmony is assisting the family with arrangements.