David Seaton Armstrong's Obituary
David Seaton Armstrong, 89, of North Chatham, NY, died on April 28, 2023. David was born on January 29, 1934, to Edwin Ferguson Armstrong and Annie Armstrong (nee Seaton), in Brooklyn, New York.
From an early age David displayed a love of athletics, excelling at baseball, track, and football, lettering in all three sports at the Hill School (’53); he was nominated to the Hill Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017.
At Yale University, David was an accomplished swimmer and part of Yale’s 4x100 freestyle team that broke the world record three times. He was chosen for the US National Team that toured Japan in 1955, and he was the recipient of the All-American distinction numerous times. He would form lifelong friendships with many of his team members as well as a member of team Japan who trained with the Yale swim team. In the summers David worked as a lifeguard on Long Island beaches, rescuing many distressed swimmers.
After earning a degree in philosophy, David married Dianne Owens Jones, with whom he had four children.
David also served in the US Army, followed by the Army Reserves and the New York National Guard, and was a Captain in the 7th Regiment, New York National Guard, at the 7th Regiment Armory (now called "Park Avenue Armory”). He maintained a lifelong association with the regiment’s Veterans Association and served as treasurer for a number of years.
David and Dianne subsequently divorced. In 1967, David met his future wife, Marilyn, with whom he would spend many happy years. David and Marilyn married in 1969.
After a long career with Wall Street firms, David and his beloved wife Marilyn retired to their weekend home in North Chatham, where they were able to relax and pursue their many hobbies, including gardening, both ultimately achieving the Master Gardener designation and serving as Master Gardener volunteers for the Cornell Cooperative Extension. They also enjoyed volunteering for the North Chatham United Methodist Church, David serving on the Finance Committee and Marilyn on the Altar Guild.
David inherited a love of woodworking from his father, and he and Marilyn, with her many talents and skills, would build and restore furniture. Many of the items they restored are still treasured by their family. David also loved gardening; David and Marilyn’s yard was always alive with flowers and plants they had nurtured, admired by neighbors and passersby spring through fall. They made their home into a warm, welcoming retreat, enjoyed by family and friends year-round for many happy years. Doting grandparents, they especially loved when their grandchildren visited.
David is predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Marilyn June Armstrong (nee McKay), and his brothers Bruce Armstrong and Douglas Armstrong. He is survived by his four children, Sydney Armstrong of Chicago, IL, David Armstrong of Columbus, GA, Emily Armstrong of Delran, NJ, and Malcolm Armstrong of Brooklyn, NY. He also leaves behind stepchildren Roberta (Wilvers) Solomon and her husband, Robert, of Napa, CA, and Tracy (Wilvers) Cassidy and her husband Paul, of Wellfleet, MA, three grandchildren: Aidan Cassidy, Zoey Cassidy, and Temesgen Armstrong, nephews Bruce Armstrong and Randy Armstrong, and brother- and sister-in-law Ray and Arlene Wilvers and their three daughters and families.
The family extends a heartfelt thank-you to Samaritan Hospice for their extraordinary care and kindness during the last few days of David’s life.
Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Allen Devoe Bird Club and local bird sanctuary, at http://www.alandevoebirdclub.org/AboutSanctuary.htm, the Cornell Cooperative Extension at https://ccecolumbiagreene.org/, or Samaritan NJ Hospice at http://samaritannj.org/giving/donate-now/.
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