Soprano, Music Director


Richard & his sister Leah

Richard Malcolm Armstrong, Sr. was born March 9, 1938 to Rudolph and Lois Armstrong.  After attending school in Michigan, he later returned to Chicago where as a young boy he met Sheila Ramsey at Doolittle Elementary School.  This would be the beginning of a friendship that later blossomed into marriage.  They were married on August 31, 1956.  From this beautiful union, two children were born, Richard M. Armstrong, Jr. and Elizabeth K. Armstrong.

As a young man Richard had a great love for music.  While in high school this passion would lead him to become the dance band leader at Hyde Park High School as well as an instructor with many of the Drum and Bugle Corps across the Chicagoland and Suburban areas.

In the 60's and early 70's he would come to use his Drum Corps experience to offer many inner city youth an alternative to gangs and violence.  It was here that he worked with such organizations as The Henry Horner Hornets, The Paul J. Hall Warriors and the Nisei Ambassadors Drum and Bugle Corps to name a few.

Richard's illustrious career spanned several decades with such companies as Spiegel Catalog Company, Sears Roebuck and Company, The City of Chicago Purchasing Department, Columbus Hospital, The Chicago Board of Education, as well as an Entrepreneur for Apple Computers (Strong Enterprises) and finally the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority as a Bid Coordinator from which he retired.

In all of his years Richard would come to develop deep long lasting friendships and the love and admiration of many.  Many of whom would simply come to call him ... "Dad".

He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 48 years, Sheila Armstrong; his sister Leah Walker; his son Richard M. Armstrong, Jr.; his daughter Elizabeth k. Armstrong (Charles C. Lewis, Jr.); his grandchildren, Marvin Jerome Armstrong, Ayana S. Armstrong and D'Artagnan C. Lewis, two sisters-in-law Carmelita Miller (Melvin M. Miller, Sr.); Elaine Ramsey; brother-in-law Donald L. Ramsey; his lifelong friends Roland C. Harris, Albert Swain, Mark Harris and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.