Daniel Edward Armstrong passed away from a fatal heart attack on March 4, 2021 in his beloved river house on the Current River, Doniphan, MO.
Born in 1951 in Kansas City, MO, the second son of John Edward and Opal Lucille McHargue Armstrong, his childhood was spent in Kansas City. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout while at the Independence Boulevard Christian Church, and graduated from Northeast High School class of 1969, attended Morningside College in Sioux City, IA and UMKC, Kansas City playing basketball for both. He moved to Belgium in 1971 to play professional basketball there, first in Gembloux and later in Wavre. In both, he played as well as coached at Louvain la Neuve University. He met Sally Louise Shoemaker of Sedalia and married her between seasons in Sedalia in 1975. They returned to Belgium that year for his second season there before returning to the U. S. and finished his undergraduate degree at William Jewell College, Liberty, MO in 1976-78 acting as student assistant basketball coach under Coach John Hickman. A junior varsity basketball coaching position was then taken in Sedalia Smith-Cotton where his team went undefeated in 1983. Remaining in Sedalia for five seasons he coached men’s basketball and tennis. While in Sedalia their first daughter was born in 1981, Alice Chipman Armstrong. Dan moved to Carthage in 1983 to become head boy’s basketball and tennis coach and coached for 17 seasons. He received a Masters Degree in teaching at Pittsburg State University, and then hours towards a Specialist Degree there. Twin daughters Agatha Louise and Lucy McHargue Armstrong were born in Carthage in 1986. Dan retired after 25 years of basketball coaching, and along with partner Scott Hettinger, built and operated OVERTIME GYM for about 10 years before final retirement. Mr. Armstrong was an ordained Baptist Deacon, a member of Gideons International and the Church of the Nazarene, Carthage.
He was preceded in death by his mother and is survived by his father, Butler MO, his wife Sally of the home, his three daughters, Alice (Josh) Habel of Springfield, Aggie (Brendan)Petrando of Wheaton, IL and Lucy (Fabio Reato) of New York City, NY, his brother Richard Dale (Dorsey) Armstrong of New York City, NY sisters Debra Diane (Frank) Ferrantelle of Kansas City and Denise Lucille (Larry) Burch of Butler, He loved dearly and enjoyed three grandchildren, Charles Gordon and Edith Louise Habel and Angelina Petrando, seven nieces and one nephew, nine great-nieces and six great-nephews.
A family memorial service was held March 10th in Carthage and a Celebration of Life Service/ Event is planned by his former players and his daughters for June 5, 2021 when the community and friends will be welcomed.
Memorial contributions may be made to Gideons International, or “Charlie 22 Outdoors”, a Veterans’ non-profit organization.
