Saturday, May 18, 2024
41.0°F

Vada Voncille (Jones) Armstrong, 70

| June 28, 2012 7:44 AM

Vada Voncille Armstrong (nee Jones) passed away June 19, 2012, near her home in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, from a stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. July 28, 2012, at the White Salmon Cemetery, White Salmon, Wash. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org).

Voncille (Von) was born Nov., 18, 1941, in Elk City, Okla., to William and Claudia Jones. When she was 7, the family moved to White Salmon, Wash.

She attended school in White Salmon graduating from Columbia High School in 1959. During her senior year of high school, she began a work/study program with Pacific Northwest Bell. Part of her school day was spent plugging the cords into the switchboard, making long distance calls for patrons, and blowing the noon whistle, which was a toggle switch on the side of the switchboard.

When a fire was called in, there were two whistles and the switchboard would light up with calls from people wanting to know where the fire was. After graduation, she worked full time at the telephone company. Later, she worked for the White Salmon School District until her retirement in 2004.

During her freshman year, she met the love of her life, Ron Armstrong. They married on March 18, 1961, and had a son, Kevin, and a daughter, Karen.

After retiring, Ron and Von moved to Moyie Springs, Idaho, to enjoy the outdoors and square dancing. She loved to laugh and spend time with her family and many friends.

She is survived by her best friend and husband of 51 years, Ron; son, Kevin and his wife Tina; grandchildren, Mara and Matt of White Salmon; daughter, Karen and her family.

She is also survived by three sisters, Virginia Rabern-Hall of Beaverton, Ore.; Nancy Walker of Snohomish, Wash.; and Ellen Hansen of Goldendale, Wash.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William and Claudia Jones; sister, Lorene Forney; and brother, Cliff Jones.

Family and friends are invited to sign Von’s book at http://www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com/fh/home/home.cfm?fh_id=10977 Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.