Etta Mae Armstrong-Bolden

Sunrise for Etta (Ella) Mae Armstrong-Bolden began on 6 June 1926, the eldest of 4 children born to Share Croppers Johnny and Roberta Armstrong outside Shreveport, LA. Ella’s earlier years were taken up with schooling and helping the family work the land. During this time she met and married James Jackson Bolden and moved to West Memphis, AR where she worked as a domestic throughout the Great Depression and World War II while husband served in the Navy.

After the war, she separate from her husband and rejoined her family in St Louis, MO during the Great Migration of the 40’s and 50’s, where she entered the workforce as a restaurant waitress and continued to work as a domestic for Shelly Winters and the Ritter family to support her family.

Tragedy struck the family in 1965 and a decision was made to relocate herself and 8 children from St Louis to Petersburg, VA and to be closer to the eldest daughter, Idell. She continued to work as a housekeeper for the local Holiday Inn Hotel and later during the Vietnam War era was hired at Fort Lee Army Base where she worked until her retirement in 1978.

In 1979 Ella decided to move to California to be closer to her sister and 2 brothers. She settled in Pasadena, CA and worked part-time at the Pasadena Athletic Club and attended Brown Memorial Church.

After a short stay in Pasadena, a move to San Diego occurred in 1983, where she worked part-time at Naval Air Station, North Island, CA and attended Calvary Baptist Church. Here is where she was baptized and accepted the Lord in her life. Throughout this time Ella did the “Lord’s Work” with other church members where in feeding the homeless, providing clothing for the downtrodden and comfort for the sick became the norm for her. She was a “foster grandmother” and an Aid to the Director for children services at St Stephen’s Church After School Program. Ella joined New Life Baptist Church where she was a dedicated member of all church functions, weekly religious services and activities along with being a proud member of the Deaconess Usher Board.

Ella moved to Compton, CA to live with daughter, Catherine and continued her service with the Lord and attending Price Chapel Church with the family and grandchildren.

Sunset came on 4 May 2015, one month shy of her 89th birthday. Her work on Earth was complete and the Lord called her home. She is the mother of 11 Children, 15 Grand Children, 20 Great Grand Children and 19 Great Great Grand Children.

She is preceded in death by her Sister (Ruthie Booker), Brothers (John Henry & Sam Armstrong) and children, Joe Bolden, Catherine Morris, Ralph, Willie and Richard Bolden.

Left to cherish her memories are daughter, Idell Lee of Laredo, TX, daughter, Maxine (Lee) Tibetts of Fayetteville, NC, son, Robert Bolden of Detroit, MI, son ,Gerald Bolden of Petersburg, VA, son, James Bolden of San Diego, CA and daughter Donna Bolden of San Diego along with a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren, great grandchildren, church members and friends.

Arrangements under the direction of El Camino Memorial - Sorrento Valley, San Diego, CA.