Armstrong, Carroll Paul 1947 - 2019

ARMSTRONG, PETERSON, GRACE, OSTROM, CRAFTON

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 2/3/2020 at 20:52:32

Carroll Paul Armstrong passed away in his home on December 20, 2019 at the age of 72. Carroll was born on July 23, 1947 to Thomas “Skinner” Armstrong and Mae “Evelyn” (Peterson) Armstrong in Cresco, IA.

Growing up, he loved being a boy scout and later became a leader. Several men still talk about the things he taught them growing up. He was very athletic, especially in Track & Field and held the school record for long jump up until the mid ‘90s. Carroll graduated from Harmony High School in 1965 with a scholarship to RCTC for Track & Field. He graduated from RCTC in 1967 and went on to attend Mankato State University, majoring in Business.

In 1969, he enlisted in the Army, where he spent some of the best days of his life. He was an MP (Military Police), spending most of his time in Fort Bragg, NC. During the war, he guarded the Pentagon and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and would end his time in the service as the personal driver for the Colonel at Fort Bragg. He had one million stories about being in the service and would tell them to anyone who’d listen.

After the service, Carroll met and fell in love with Laura Grace. They were married on October 27, 1979 and adopted MaryBeth in 1985 after several years of waiting. Carroll was the proudest dad you’ve ever seen.

He took over the family insurance business with his mother and later would be best known as the local rural mail carrier. He loved the people on his route and they loved him. Whether it was hand delivering baby chicks and bees, to after hours deliveries of packages to people’s doors who he knew didn’t want them outside all day to always surprising the Amish kids on his route with recess equipment for school, he loved his job. He would often drive his route after he retired to “check up on things” and see all of the new baby animals in the spring.He was very active in the community, from the Lions Club to the Community Chest.

He was very proud to have been a member of the Community Chest since almost the beginning, spending many of his years as President. He was the kind of man who would give you the shirt off his back and if he didn’t have a shirt, he’d find you one. Those that knew him knew him for his kind heart, warm smile, followed by a smart remark and a chuckle.

Carroll was proceeded in death by his parents and his sister, Ann. He is survived by his wife Laura, his daughter MaryBeth (Tim) Ostrom of Harmony, MN, one grandson Graysen Ostrom, two brothers, Tom Armstrong of Lanesboro, MN and Jon (Nancy) Armstrong of Maple Grove, MN, one sister, Kay (David) Crafton of Huntington Beach, CA and several nieces and nephews.

Source: Lindstrom Funeral Home database

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