John Daniel Armstrong

Notes:

The only Grandpa I ever knew was really my step Grandpa John Armstrong. Growing up, I thought he got his last name because he was the strongest man I knew. I also thought he had a poor memory since he always called me "Suzy Q" and I had to remind him that my name was Pam. John only had a 2nd grade education since all the kids needed to work as early as possible. When my Great Grandma Pearl Atwood became seriously ill with asthma, the entire family pulled up stakes in MI and headed south for wherever she could breathe better. It was during the depression and there are lots of stories about that trip, but back to Grandpa John. The family ultimately ended up in Arizona and began putting down roots when WWII broke out and John heard there was money to be made in the factories in Michigan for the war effort. So back to Michigan came John, Violet, Pauline and Dick. Grandpa heard that the best wages were for tool and die makers , so he decided to become one. When he would apply at the factory he would tell them he was a tool and die maker. The first job lasted a matter of hours. The next job it took a day or two until the figured out he had no idea how to do the job, but with each new job he was learning to be a tool and die guy and he would last longer. Finally he had gained enough skills on the job that he went to work for General Motors in Grand Rapids as a tool and die maker and worked in that position until the time of his death. I often thought how unfortunate it was that he never had much formal education, because I think he was brilliant to teach himself that skill. Just think what he could have accomplished! He has been gone since 1974, but I still miss his strength and miss hearing "Hi there, Suzy Q"

-written by Pamela R Streeter Wadsworth

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Violet Janie Atwood on 29 May 1932. Violet (daughter of George Richard Atwood and Frances Pearl Perry) was born on 11 Aug 1908 in Luther, Michigan, USA; died on 14 Jun 1976 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]