Stephen Armstrong

Stephen was fortunate to meet Grace, the love of his life, when he was 17 and she was 16. His moves were so slick and cool that he managed to convince her quickly that a tall, skinny boy from a very different social class was the one for her no matter what. It was love at first sight. Stephen attended college at the University of South Florida where he earned a bachelors and a masters degree in economics. After college Stephen and Grace were married and spent 50 years together filled with ups and downs but always grounded by a deep and abiding love for one another.

Stephen served in the Air Force early in their marriage as a supply officer and navigator. Later he co-owned a software support company called SoftServe. After a career move in the early 90’s Stephen and his family moved to Connecticut where Stephen‘s primary focus was on raising their two children, Allister and Grayson, while Grace traveled for work. Stephen taught both of his children to value independent self-reliance and to always treat others with kindness. His example to them was one of gentle strength and of never being afraid to seem a bit silly.

While Steve’s primary focus was on his children, he was at the same time one of two founders of “The Bay Area Youth Ministry”, in Bridgeport Conn., where he taught computer hardware assembly and basic software writing skills to inner city youth, from which they received industry certification allowing them to build a career in the computer industry. Once his children had grown and left the nest Stephen reenrolled in college to gain a teaching degree with which he went on to teach fourth grade until his wife, Grace, retired. They then returned to Tampa together to rejoin their friends and families. Stephen’s dry wit and gentle nature endeared him to his many friends, especially those with whom he met weekly to engage in their very own made up sport of Dual Reciprocating Browkian Phryzby, which went on in the back yards and driveways of Tampa Bay for over 40 years.

Stephen is survived by his wife, Grace; daughter, Allister; son, Grayson; daughter-in-law, Carla;

grandson, Harrison; and three brothers, David, Jim, and Mike Armstrong. All of whom deeply

mourn the passing of such a wonderfully gentle, funny, intelligent and loving man.

Due to the current pandemic there are no plans to hold a public memorial currently. Anyone wishing to remember Stephen is invited to donate in Stephen’s name to Feeding Tampa Bay at https://feedingtampabay.org/donate/