Myrtle J. Armstrong

Myrtle Jean Medeiros Armstrong, 67, from Middleburg, Florida crossed the rainbow bridge peacefully on Sunday, February 05, 2023 in Orange Park, FL. Myrtle Was born in Maui, Hawaii on May 15, 1955 to David and Isabella Medeiros. As a child she grew up on Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii. Myrtle graduated from Hawaiian Mission Academy in May of 1973. Myrtle met the love of her life Richard Edward Armstrong Jr. while he was stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1972 at the Hawaiian State Fair. They were married on April 20, 1973 in Honolulu, Hawaii. After relocating to Florida in 1974, the couple lived in South Florida, before moving in Jacksonville then eventually Middleburg, Florida. On June 28, 197she gave birth to the couple’s only child Alisha-Marie Armstrong (Evans). Myrtle graduated from Florida Community College in 1988. She began to work for the Department of Defense with NADEP in 1988 until her retirement in 2016 as an aircraft structure and framework sheet metalworker. While at her time at NADEP she broke the glass ceiling as one of the few female employees in a predominantly male trade working on aircraft including the p3 Orion. Myrtle was also the second female to be elected and serve as Commodore of the Navy Jax Yacht Club in 1999. Myrtle was kind but always spoke her mind when standing up for the little guy. Myrtle had a great sense of humor and could be found telling jokes to make others smile. She was an advocate for LGBTQIA people and youth, donating her time and raising funds. There was many a late night she would receive calls to help a LGBTQIA teen that needed to get to a safe house for protection from dangerous home environment. Myrtle was the adopted mom to the various drag entertainers she met in her life and referred to them as her “Gurrrls”. Even in illness she was known to call the University Club dressing room on a busy show night to wish the entertainers’ good luck and tell them she loved them. She was an animal lover and had many different animals from the time she was child until her passing. Myrtle had a sense of adventure. She enjoyed traveling and had visited many different places from Alaska to the Bahamas. She was one hell of a party planner! Her events always raised money and guests looked forward to the next scheduled event date. Myrtle loved to cross stitching, tend to her vegetable or flower garden and practicing traditional Polynesian dancing which she passed on to her daughter.

At this time Myrtle would say, A Hui Hou which in Hawaiian means “until we meet again”.  Myrtle is proceeded in death by her husband Richard, sister Charlotte, brother Daemon, father David and mother Isabella. She is survived by her daughter Alisha-Kai (Justin), sister Carol Kanamitzu, Yvonne Pietzch as well as her many nieces, nephews, godchildren, friends and her “Gurrrls”.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in her name to either the Safe Animal Shelter of Clay County. or JASMYN, Inc.