James Glover "Jim" Armstrong III, 87, of St. Petersburg, Florida is survived by his daughter Shannon Bailey, son-in-law Edwin Bailey, and grandson Trey. He was predeceased by his son Dirk Michael Armstrong in April 2022 and his sister Delynn Armstrong Barton Stotts in December 2022. He will also be missed by the Bennett, Barton and Bell families, and his friends.
Jim was a native Floridian, born in Orlando and raised on the shores of Lake Jennie Jewel. He attended Florida Southern College and the University of Alabama. He served in the United States Air Force from 1961-1964 and in the reserves until 1967. He was an Airman First Class at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, working with the "Chimponauts" Enos and Ham. Ham was the first chimp in space, followed by Enos who was first to go into orbit. Family lore held that Enos once ran down the hallway to greet Jim, hugging his legs and give him a "love bite" that went through his wool uniform and produced quite a wound. Personnel at the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center were far more concerned about possible damage to the valuable chimp than to Airman Armstrong!
After his military service, Jim earned a Masters of Science degree from the University of Alabama and went to work for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. He was a Fishery Research Biologist in Jackson WY, Columbia MO, and Boulder CO, and worked on the National Wetlands Inventory in Kansas City KS and then in St. Petersburg after moving his family back to Florida in 1979. The last twenty years of his career were at the Pinellas County Health Department, doing everything from restaurant inspections to radon testing.
Jim was an avid ham radio operator for decades, using the call sign AA0C since the early 1970s. He loved to fish and cycle, and loved following Alabama football. In retirement, he volunteered at Boyd Hill Nature Preserve and collected used tennis balls from the North Shore courts for Pet Pal Rescue. He loved to watch the sunrise daily over the bay with his dog (Shorty, and then later Charmin) and was always the resident gardener wherever he lived. He was a talented painter, like his mother, and created many needlework gifts for friends, family and fellow dog lovers.
Celebration of Jim's life will be a private family gathering. Donations may be made in his memory to The Friends of Boyd Hill Nature Preserve in St. Petersburg.
SHARE OBITUARYSHARE
v.1.14.0