Remembering Dorothy (Dot) O'Dell Thomas Armstrong

Armstrong's Obituary as shared on Taylor's Mortuary website. On warm summer days granny would sing and rock us on her front porch swing. We would giggle and tease her about her “old hands” as we played with her skinny fingers and dominant veins that ran through her hands that carried the love that blessed so many in her life. We would say, “Granny, we don’t want hands like yours when we grow up!” But as adults looking back, we realize, these are exactly the kind of hands we could only hope for. Dorothy (Dot) O’dell Thomas Armstrong was born on January 4, 1938 in Nowata, Oklahoma to Claude Wesley Thomas and Golda Marie (Manley) Thomas and this is where the story of her loving hands began. As a young lady, Dot took the loving hand of our grandfather in marriage, John L. Armstrong in 1953 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Dot and John were happily married for 48 years. John was the love of her life. John preceded her in death as he passed away, holding her devoted hands in October 2001. Dot kept her love alive for John right up to her last days. She couldn’t wait to be reunited with him. Surely grandpa John was there, ready to take his bride once again, hand-in-hand as she passed peacefully on December 29th, 2022. With her tender hands she held her first born, Dianna Lynn (Armstrong) Weaver. In May 2007, Dot used her caring hands to wrap her daughter in love as Dianna passed away. Dot’s nurturing hands also held the hands of two little boys as they grew. First, John Duane Armstrong and then Rodney Loyd Armstrong. Dot was a proud and supportive mother. Her helping hands and loving arms always there to catch her children as needed. Dot was blessed with three grandchildren. Two grand-daughters; Kristal Plikat and Candace Koegler, daughters of Steven and Dianna (Armstrong) Weaver and a grandson Richard Rich, son of Dianna Armstrong and Steve Smith. Dot lit up anytime her grandchildren or four great grandchildren were around! She was quick to wrap her warm hands around them for a hug and a kiss! She was the first to join her great grandkids on the floor to play cars, read books, play a game of cards or put puzzles together. Her great-grandchildren include: Owen Koegler, Beau Wilson, Raisa Rich and Bently Plikat. With a huge smile, Dot used her gleeful hands to clap at all the ball games she could attend starting as a proud momma, then traveling all over the west coast to watch her two granddaughters play and finally cheering on her great grandchildren no matter the sport, season, location or weather. Dot loved all of her siblings. She often held her phone with anticipating hands as her phone constantly rang with an excited sister ready to chat on the other end. As she talked to her sisters, with a childlike grin running across her beautiful face, she giggled and reminisced about her Momma and Daddy, uncle Bob and the good ol’ days growing up in Oklahoma with her many siblings. Dot’s helpful hands could be found volunteering at the Winston Senior Center for many years around the BINGO and lunch tables as she happily chatted with friends. With her supportive hands, Dot cared for several friends who were unable to get around town; she was sure to get them to the senior center to enjoy all the fun! Finally, Dot’s creative hands blessed many who needed beautiful and delicious specialty cakes and desserts. If you were ever lucky enough to pop in as she baked, you were bound to hear Johnny Cash or Merle Haggard serenading granny as she danced through the kitchen with her magic spatulas! With her hands she loved so many in her life. We will miss Dot; wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, granny, grandmama, and friend to many.