Jane Ellen Armstrong

Jane Ellen Coffee was born on April 11, 1925 in Neosho, Missouri and passed peacefully surrounded by family on December 28, 2018 in Trophy Club, Texas.

Born the first child of Floyd and Georgia Coffee, Jane had a fairy-tale upbringing in Cushing, Oklahoma. She excelled in school, where she was regarded by all as a friend and a leader. In high school, she shone as drum major in the school marching band. Drama, dancing, music and church were other activities in her busy young life. Upon graduation, Jane made the short trip west to Oklahoma A&M. She thrived in the college environment, first joining, and later becoming president of, Pi Beta Phi sorority. She also became involved in student government, eventually assuming the role of president of Panhellenic Council. Among her other accomplishments was sitting as a senator on student government, being active in the Association of Women Students, and contributing to the A&M College Magazine. While Jane was happily immersed in all that school had to offer, she met the love of her life, Neill Ford Armstrong.

Jane and Neill were married in June of 1946, and thus began the next chapter in her life. With one year left until graduation, Neill went back to the National Champion Aggies to hone his skills as an All-American football player, while Jane continued to work on her degree in education. In May of 1947 Neill Jr. was born, and Jane’s era as a mother had begun. With husband Neill’s decision to pursue a career in football, her life as an itinerant homemaker began. Buying and selling homes, organizing moves, making new friends and leaving old ones behind became an integral part of her life. During all of this, she managed to have two more children: David, born in Stillwater in June of 1950 and Gail, welcomed into this world in Winnipeg, Manitoba in September of 1954. None of this caused Jane to miss a beat. An optimist at heart, she saw only the positive in every situation. With a heart full of love, an energy that knew no bounds, and a spirit that flowed directly from heaven above, she managed to make every move into an adventure the entire family embraced. From Stillwater to Philadelphia, up to Winnipeg, back to Stillwater, on to Houston, north to Edmonton, over to Minneapolis, across to Chicago and, finally, south to Dallas, Jane kept a song in her heart and a smile on her face. While Neill was busy achieving his football goals, first as a player, later as a coach, Jane provided the glue that held the family together. While everyone wanted a chunk of her time, she managed to satisfy the needs of both her children and husband with style and grace.

Amid raising a family and supporting Neill’s career, Jane still found time to involve herself in numerous charitable and volunteer roles, both community and church-based. A favorite lifelong association was P.E.O., while her outstanding passion, beyond her own family, was her church membership and community.

Jane will be remembered as a devoted wife, devout Christian and loving mother. She took great pride and pleasure in her three children, eight grandchildren, and seven great granddaughters. It was often said that if she wasn’t in fact an angel, she certainly had one perched upon her shoulder. After surviving a headfirst fall from the top of a firetruck, who was to argue with such an assessment?

Jane was pre-deceased by her husband of seventy years, Neill. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Mary Lou, brother-in-law, Tom Black, sons Neill Jr., David (Janie) and daughter Gail (Joe), followed by an extensive and loving family reaching around the world.

While her husband did not walk upon the lunar surface, Jane went “to the moon and back” with her beloved Neill.

The family would like to give special thanks to the kind and loving care provided to Jane over the last two years of her life by Wendy, Flora, Dell, Rachill, and Cicelee. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Memorial Service: A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, January 5 at Fellowship United Methodist Church, 101 Trophy Club Drive, Trophy Club Texas, 76262.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to FUMC for the Snack Sacks Ministry, a program that provides food and snacks for families in need.

A Poem by Neill:

Mother’s Tree

my brother
and my sister
and me
grew up beneath
our Mother’s tree
where the shade
never faded
in summer’s fierce glare
and the cold winds of winter
never hardened us there...

my brother
and my sister
and me
were sheltered by
our Mother’s tree
whose boughs
reached forever
wherever we roamed
over seashores and mountains
and jungle war zones...

my brother
and my sister
and me
lived our lives
under our
Mother’s tree
where the fruit
fell like grace
and the shape of her face
sustained us
and set us all free...