Maxine Armstrong

(From Midland Cremation Society)

Maxine Eveline Estes Armstrong was born on November 5, 1939, in Lawrence County, Missouri, to Wiley Ervin Estes and Sara “Sally” Long Estes. She was raised near Miller, Missouri where she attended Miller High School, as part of the Class of 1959. As a student, she played the drums in the school band and participated in track and field.

Maxine regularly traveled by bus from Miller to Carthage, Missouri to stay with her sister Francis to watch her children. 

While in Carthage, Maxine worked at Red’s Café. It was there that she met Ernest Armstrong. The two eloped and were married on September 29, 1958 in Miami, Oklahoma. After their marriage, Maxine and Ernie made their home in Carthage. Their daughter, Deborah, was born on December 26, 1959, followed by their son, Dale, on April 20, 1963. In 1965, the family settled into their home on Regan Avenue, where Maxine lived for the remainder of her life.

Maxine was a homemaker in the most traditional sense of the word: her many labors largely unseen but deeply felt. Her home was orderly and dependable, shaped by routine, preparation, and care. Family life centered around her table, which hosted weekly Sunday meals without fail, as well as countless Christmases, Easters, and holidays. Food was her primary love language, and through it she expressed welcome and belonging.

Her concern for others extended well beyond her own household. Maxine firmly believed that no one should go hungry. She volunteered for many years with Meals on Wheels and quietly cared for elderly members of the First Baptist Church of Carthage. She was widely known for her baking, regularly sending dozens of homemade cookies to students taught by her grandsons, both of whom are educators. 

Faith was a consistent presence throughout her life. Raised in the Methodist Church, Maxine joined the Southern Baptist Church after her marriage and remained active in church life for many years. Alongside her close friend Nina, she taught Sunday School for more than four decades.

Outside the home, Maxine found satisfaction in caring for her yard and garden, with a particular love for roses. The same patience and attentiveness she brought to people defined her approach to tending all living things. Additionally, she had many houseplants whose origins stretched back into the last millennium.

Maxine was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers and sisters; her husband, Ernest Armstrong, who died on July 23, 2002; and her daughter, Deborah (Daniel), who died on April 10, 2025. She is survived by her son, Dale Armstrong (Chalice); her grandchildren David Armstrong, Dawn Old (Grant), Andrew Armstrong, and Dixie Tsutsavea (Georgy); her great-grandchildren TJ, Clara, and Fedya; and her sister, Erma.

In lieu of flowers, memorials made in her name may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Arrangements are made with Midland Cremation Society in Joplin, Missouri.