Obituary for Willie L. Armstrong
On Thursday, June 23, 2022, Willie L. Armstrong, passed away at the age of 79.
Willie was born in Banks, Alabama to Edgar Armstrong and Mary Frances Hall Armstrong. He was married to his former wife Erma Jean Linder, who he met on the bus to college. They raised one son, Zachary, and two daughters, Alisha and April.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (A&M) on December 20, 1966. He was a pioneer as a hotel manager in the Hospitality industry, rising from Dishwasher to Assistant Bell Captain to General Manager during his distinguished career. Featured in Black Enterprise and Jet magazines, his career was marked by several achievements. He was once told that no Blacks would ever find senior management positions in major hotel chains. He, and other Black pioneers in the industry, went on to prove them wrong by holding management positions in major hotel chains. Willie was the resident manager in hotels as renowned as the Sheraton-Boston Hotel, the Sheraton-Cadillac in Detroit, the Sheraton-Park Hotel in Washington DC, the Sheraton City Squire in Manhattan and the historic Omni Shoreham Resort and Convention Hotel in Washington DC.
A charming man, Willie was known for his quick wit and ready smile and loved seeing people enjoy themselves, evident from his eagerness to help friends and family host parties at the hotels he managed. He was a strong believer in using education to achieve your dreams. One of the great pleasures he enjoyed was encouraging and helping his family and friends to achieve their dreams. This was especially true when he could help someone who was overcoming significant struggles. This was likely because of the extreme struggles he faced in his own life such as having to leave his home town at one point in his childhood to avoid being lynched after an incident at a tobacco plantation where he was unfairly accused.
And something most do not know, but was clearly evident, was his admiration for strong women. Being the son of a strong woman and raised by another strong woman, he would show this admiration, though subtly, such as when he cheered on the heroines in his favorite movies, Hidden Figures and Secretariat. He would stress the fact that they stood up against the men opposing them, despite their struggles, in order to achieve their dreams.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made to A Forever-Home Rescue Foundation, where Willie adopted his dog, his forever friend, Max. Donations can be made by going to www.aforeverhome.org and clicking “Donate” in the upper right corner.
Willie was preceded in death by his father, Edgar, his mother, Frances, his former wife, Jean, his sisters, Annie Ruth, Annie Mell, Annie Jewel and Roberta, his nieces and nephews (Jeff, Erik, Shonda, Ramona and Aaron). He is survived by his three children, Zachary, Alisha and April, his sisters Cora, Annie Esther, Mary and Martha, his grandsons, Jonathan and Stephen, his great-grandchildren, Claire and Warren, his nieces and nephews (Debra, Cassandra, Sebrena, Kevin, Iris, Deanna, Tina, Eric, Vivian, Norman, Adrian, Wanda, Darick, Cedric, Sheena, Stacy, Joshua, Caleb, Jessica, Johnathan, James, Kevin, Demaria and Marcus) and a host of other beloved family members and cherished friends.
For details regarding the memorial service, please contact the family at spencewla@gmail.com.
Willie was born in Banks, Alabama to Edgar Armstrong and Mary Frances Hall Armstrong. He was married to his former wife Erma Jean Linder, who he met on the bus to college. They raised one son, Zachary, and two daughters, Alisha and April.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (A&M) on December 20, 1966. He was a pioneer as a hotel manager in the Hospitality industry, rising from Dishwasher to Assistant Bell Captain to General Manager during his distinguished career. Featured in Black Enterprise and Jet magazines, his career was marked by several achievements. He was once told that no Blacks would ever find senior management positions in major hotel chains. He, and other Black pioneers in the industry, went on to prove them wrong by holding management positions in major hotel chains. Willie was the resident manager in hotels as renowned as the Sheraton-Boston Hotel, the Sheraton-Cadillac in Detroit, the Sheraton-Park Hotel in Washington DC, the Sheraton City Squire in Manhattan and the historic Omni Shoreham Resort and Convention Hotel in Washington DC.
A charming man, Willie was known for his quick wit and ready smile and loved seeing people enjoy themselves, evident from his eagerness to help friends and family host parties at the hotels he managed. He was a strong believer in using education to achieve your dreams. One of the great pleasures he enjoyed was encouraging and helping his family and friends to achieve their dreams. This was especially true when he could help someone who was overcoming significant struggles. This was likely because of the extreme struggles he faced in his own life such as having to leave his home town at one point in his childhood to avoid being lynched after an incident at a tobacco plantation where he was unfairly accused.
And something most do not know, but was clearly evident, was his admiration for strong women. Being the son of a strong woman and raised by another strong woman, he would show this admiration, though subtly, such as when he cheered on the heroines in his favorite movies, Hidden Figures and Secretariat. He would stress the fact that they stood up against the men opposing them, despite their struggles, in order to achieve their dreams.
In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations made to A Forever-Home Rescue Foundation, where Willie adopted his dog, his forever friend, Max. Donations can be made by going to www.aforeverhome.org and clicking “Donate” in the upper right corner.
Willie was preceded in death by his father, Edgar, his mother, Frances, his former wife, Jean, his sisters, Annie Ruth, Annie Mell, Annie Jewel and Roberta, his nieces and nephews (Jeff, Erik, Shonda, Ramona and Aaron). He is survived by his three children, Zachary, Alisha and April, his sisters Cora, Annie Esther, Mary and Martha, his grandsons, Jonathan and Stephen, his great-grandchildren, Claire and Warren, his nieces and nephews (Debra, Cassandra, Sebrena, Kevin, Iris, Deanna, Tina, Eric, Vivian, Norman, Adrian, Wanda, Darick, Cedric, Sheena, Stacy, Joshua, Caleb, Jessica, Johnathan, James, Kevin, Demaria and Marcus) and a host of other beloved family members and cherished friends.
For details regarding the memorial service, please contact the family at spencewla@gmail.com.