Donna Jean (Collins) Armstrong, 89, passed away on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at Vintage Park Assisted Living in Baldwin City, Kansas.
Donna was born January 22, 1932 in St. Francis, Kansas, the oldest daughter of Lewis and Mae (Carmichael) Collins. When she was a teenager the family moved to Goodland, Kansas where she graduated from Goodland High School in 1950. She was married April 25, 1953 to her high school sweetheart, Harry Merle Armstrong Jr. at Camp Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After Merle was discharged from the Army they lived in Pueblo, Colorado for a short time and returned to Goodland, Kansas to raise their family. They moved to Edson, Kansas in 1982 where they lived until Merle’s passing in 2017. They had been married for 64 years. Donna moved to Baldwin City in 2019 to be closer to her children in eastern Kansas.
Donna lived a full life as a homemaker, and worked as a police dispatcher for several years. She enjoyed crocheting, quilting and gardening. She was known for her wittiness and her sharp sense of humor. She loved collecting antiques and had a bell collection representing locations around the world. She treasured seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always had an endless supply of Doritos for them. Nearly every time she spoke with them she requested they send more pictures.
Donna was preceded in death by her parents, Lewis and Mae Collins, husband, Merle, a son, Scott Armstrong, and an infant sister, Jo Ann Collins.
She is survived by three children, Vickie (Bennie) Haremza of Lawrence, Kansas, Brenda (Cody) Lingo of Cahone, Colorado, and Mike (Karen) Armstrong of Fairway, Kansas; a brother, Roger Collins of Goodland, Kansas; 11 grandchildren: Jason, Jamey, Jessica, Jennifer, Jacob, Ashley, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Patrick, Daniel and Ian; and 15 great-grandchildren: Lara, Teisha, Annabelle, Bintou, Lee, Finn, Cooper, Finnley, Coumba, Youssoupha, Sawyer, Rowan, Wyatt, Cecilia and Sonni Rae.
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