Theresa Armstrong

Theresa K. Armstrong a Corvallis resident died peacefully on Monday evening at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center surrounded by extended family members and loved ones. Theresa was born on March 4, 1947, in Long Beach, Calif. She was raised by her parents Lee and Mary Armstrong and lived in Long Beach where she attended school and participated in the Special Olympics. She moved to Corvallis with her parents when her father retired from the U. S. Postal Service in 1976. Theresa was employed by the Bonnie Center and Open Door and did contract work for Hewlett-Packard. She was later hired by Hewlett-Packard and spent 25 years working in various production jobs and later in the Job Resource Center. She retired from HP in 2002. Theresa was well known throughout the HP Corvallis campus and was often called the “Beanie Baby Lady”; as she always had Beanie Babies on her delivery cart. After retirement, Theresa volunteered at the Bridges Group Home where she made friends that became part of her extended family, and the Corvallis Manor. In her earlier days, Theresa played bingo at the Elks Lodge in Corvallis. She was also an auxiliary member of the Moose and American Legion. Theresa enjoyed playing bingo at the American Legion and buying the scratch off bingo cards. She loved to play Bunco and Wii bowling of which she let you know she was “pro status” in Wii. Theresa was a very active member of the Corvallis Church of the Nazarene and HP Retirees Club. She had a love of animals and liked to visit friend’s pets as well as animals at the Heartland Humane Society. Theresa was well known throughout Corvallis for her kindness and love of life. She was also known for loving “Coke and Mountain Dew,” as well as macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches with the “crust cut off”. She loved traveling with her dear friend Sharon Butterfield and Sharon’s mother (who she referred to as Grandma) to Hawaii, Branson, Mo. Disneyworld, and especially Arizona to visit Sharon’s sister, “Aunt Barbara. “ She also enjoyed vacationing with Len and Sharon and Grandma to family reunions in Montana and other places like, Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Canada. One of her favorite destinations was the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Theresa loved country music and amazed people with how many artists and songs she knew. She is survived by one brother, Paul Armstrong and a large loving extended family including: Sharon and Len Butterfield of Corvallis, Ore, Peter, Jacque, Riley and Davis Clem of Knoxville, TN, James and Angie Butterfield of Corvallis, OR., Larry and BJ Hultz of West Yellowstone, MT., and Dennis Hultz of Phoenix, AZ., Barbara Hancock, Fountain Hills, AZ., Marilyn (Jerry) Smith, Blackfoot, ID. All her special friends at the Nazarene Church, especially Pastor Russ Stiverson and Pastor Katy Weber; and all the members of the HP Retirees club in Corvallis, Ore. She was preceded in death by her parents; Lee and Mary Armstrong. A viewing will be held at 9 a.m. and a celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2009, at McHenry Funeral Home in Corvallis. She will be laid to rest next to her parents at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland. In lieu of flowers Theresa would prefer memorial contributions be made to Old Mill School, Vina Moses and The Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis. A luncheon will follow the celebration of life at Corvallis Church of the Nazarene.

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Theresa Armstrong

March 4, 1947 - March 16, 2009