Mary Ellen Armstrong, passed away peacefully on 09/13/2015, widow of Eugene Armstrong, is survived by her daughter Judith Ellen Armstrong and beloved dog Pixie. Among Mary Ellen’s passions were her own beloved pets, which at their peak included 2 dogs, 3 birds and a hamster. She was also a strong supporter of animal and humanitarian causes. Mom was a lifelong voter, often given the “stink eye” for requesting a Democratic ballot during the primary, in widely the Republican NW suburbs. She was a avid gardener with a green thumb, and her grass and flowers were the envy of the neighborhood. In her advanced years, when she was not nimble enough to perform gardening tasks herself, her good friend meticulously executed Mary Ellen’s gardening vision. Her love of plants and animals originated from her childhood life on a farm in the country. She had a gentle nature and was liberal and open minded toward others. She was also an avid reader and fostered a love of reading and education to her daughter who also loves to read.

Memorial Services Friday 1:00 pm at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Rd.,at Northwest Hwy., Mt. Prospect. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to any of the following charities:

Special Olimpics, 1133 19th Street, Washington DC, 20036 @   www.specialolimpics.org

Lupus Foundation of America, Inc, 2000 L Street NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036  @  www.lupus.org

Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Rd., Yorktown Heights, NY 10598   @ www.guidingeyes.org

Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Rd., Arlington Heights, IL 60005 @ www.thebuddyfoundation.org

Moose International, 155 International Drive, Mooseheart, IL 60539 (to be used in support of the Batavia, IL Chapter) @  www.mooseintl.org