John M Armstrong

John M. Armstrong, at the age of 76 passed away on Sunday, August 4th at 2:15AM. John was born in Champaign, Illinois on December 16th, 1942 to parents Helen and Maurice Armstrong. John was the beloved husband to Jacqueline Armstrong for 36 years, Dedicated Father to Kristina Long, Loving Step Father to Kraig Vandiver, Keely Solimene, Kevin Vandiver, and Kristin Wilson, and their spouses Laura Vandiver and Mick Solimene. He was a Fun and Loving Grandfather to Cassidy Long, Vivanna Vandiver, Jehu Vandiver, Ha Nguyen, Isabella Solimene, Olivia Solimene, Will Solimene, Victoria Solimene, Arianna Coxe, Alexandra Funk, Allie Poulet, Madelyn Wilson, and Ellis Wilson. He was a family man and they were his first priority. John fought a 4 and a half year valiant fight against kidney cancer. He believed that we as humans are better off if we, “Worship God, Love People and Use Things,” and only in that order. John loved to help people to organize and improve their finances as well as to help people with their pending litigation. John’s first major accomplishment was earning his pilot’s license which he earned in Long Beach, California at the age of 15. He loved to fly more than anything else. He was brave and confident in his flying skills and impressed his passengers with flying tricks over the corn fields of Bolingbrook in the 1980s! John was in Vietnam while in the Air Force in the 1960s. He worked hard and helped his brothers in Vietnam to make it back safely. When John returned from Vietnam he knew the importance of a college degree because “the people telling him what to do had a college degree.” This motivated John to graduate in 3 years, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Woodbury University in Los Angeles, California with a 4.2 GPA! In 1976 John relocated from California to Illinois for job advancement as a Controller. John settled in Bolingbrook and instantly felt dedicated and passionate. He worked hard by going door to door to talk about his goals for his new community. In 1977 he was voted in as Bolingbrook Trustee. For four years, he served as Trustee for the community of Bolingbrook. He worked hard to increase town revenue, as well as obtaining financing for new roadways. In 1983, John met the woman of his dreams and they were soon married in Bolingbrook. He and Jacqueline decided to move to California where they helped John’s family to run the family business from 1983-1996. The Bake Shoppe in Downey, California was a beautiful and popular European bakery specializing in decorative cakes and pastries from 1944-1994. John also served as President of the California Retail Bakers Association. John’s final occupation and business entrepreneurship was that of an award winning gardening company in Mendocino County, California. From 2007-2012 he donated his time and work with cannabis to children with epilepsy. He felt great fulfillment when parents of these children would call him and share their kid’s progress of improvement. John was also chosen as the Treasurer of the Mendocino Medical Marijuana Advisory Board.

John M Armstrong

August 4, 2019