Elizabeth Ann Armstrong, lovingly known by most as “Noni”, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Thursday evening, June 8th, 2023. She was proceeded in death by her parents James and Jessie Armstrong, her brothers Willis Armstrong, Jimmy Armstrong, and Mike Armstrong, sisters-in-laws Rita Armstrong, Janice Armstrong, Gerry Armstrong & Roxie Armstrong, niece Michelle McCauley, nephew Wanliss Armstrong, and also by her two beloved canine companions, Susie-Q and Re-re. She is survived by her brother Harold Armstrong of Vidor, TX, sister Jackie (Walter) Crawley of Sanderson, TX, son John (Carla) Yager of Canyon Lake, TX, daughter Robin (John) Downing of Sonora, TX, stepdaughter Vanessa (John) Finney of Rising Star, TX, granddaughter Vicki (Dan) Vesa of Marble Falls, TX, grandson Jeromy (Stormi) Yager of Canyon Lake, TX, granddaughter Kellie (Judd) Martin of Mason, TX, grandson J.T. (Morgan) Downing of San Angelo, TX, and five great-grandchildren: Navey and Hank Martin of Mason, TX, and Sammy, Jensen, and Xander Downing of San Angelo, TX, and many nieces, nephews & cousins.
Ann, as she preferred to be called, was born on November 18th, 1936 in San Angelo, TX and spent much of her early years in the First Baptist Church where her mother taught Sunday School. The family then moved to the West Texas town of Sierra Blanca where she grew up the eldest daughter and in the middle of her five siblings on a ranch south of town. In her teen years the family moved to the area of Fort Hancock and Clint, TX where they lived on a farm and she often picked cotton by hand. Ann was quite the athlete in school, being a strong competitor in track and a state qualifier in tennis for Clint high school, where she graduated in 1954.
After high school, Ann married John Shermer Yager and moved to El Paso, TX where she became a bookkeeper for El Paso Electric Company in February 1955. Their son, John Curtis, was born in December of that year, followed by their daughter, Robin Elizabeth, born in 1958. As a young adult, Ann was a super slender young woman whose small frame contrasted with her boisterous personality. She was always energetic and busy, participating in hobbies such as a driver in the Powder Puff Derby dirt track car races where she once placed third at Sunland Speedway outside of El Paso.
In 1967, Ann and her two children moved back to San Angelo, TX, where she continued as a bookkeeper for Gabriel’s department store as a single mom. She also became an avid bowler, serving as treasurer for several San Angelo leagues, and even travelling to Houston for a tournament. She once had the crowd on their feet in anticipation at Sherwood Lanes as she was bowling a perfect game until it came down to the 10th frame and she got a spare.
In 1971 Ann re-married to Gorman Welch and moved to Van Horn, TX for a short time before they decided to move to Lake Roberts, NM where they bought and ran the Lake Roberts general store for a few years. Ann welcomed her first grandchild, Vicki, there in 1975 and then the family returned to Van Horn, TX where she was a bookkeeper for the local gas company and talc mine, and also worked at the local steak and club house, the Iron Rail.
In the late 1980’s, Ann returned to San Angelo, TX and began keeping books for Producer’s Livestock Auction, where she eventually met and married Weston Fisher. After selling his trucking business, the couple retired and moved to Sonora, TX where Ann began keeping books part time for Joe David Ross and Harvey Sepeda with Southwest Digger. She also briefly owned and operated PM Office Supply on Main Street. Ann spent the next 30 years in Sonora, where she was lovingly known by the name her grandchildren called her -“Noni”. She attended every sporting event, awards ceremony, and extracurricular activity that her grandchildren participated in. Noni was always the one with camera, either taking pictures of or recording the action, and she often had a less than amicable relationship with the referees.
Ann definitely was not one to hold her tongue and was well known for her straightforward opinions and comments, but you always knew where you stood with her. She was also quite the busy body, not afraid to use a power tool, and always working on some project around the house, often climbing up ladders and scaffolding well into her seventies. Later in life she also began painting and was quite talented. Another characteristic she developed later in life was a love for pets when she bought her miniature poodle, Susie-Q. Susie proved to be her faithful and loyal companion for many years, even making a cross country drive to New York City with Ann and several family members. After both her husband Weston and her dog Susie passed, Ann was gifted a chihuahua named Re-re from her family who became her best friend in her later years.
In 2019 Ann followed her granddaughter, Kellie, to Mason, TX where she lived for a few years before suffering from the early stages of dementia and moving to the Schleicher County Nursing Home in Eldorado, TX where she was living at the time of her passing. Ann/Noni was surrounded by loved ones and peacefully went to be with the Lord while listening to one of her favorite songs, Silver Wings by Mere Haggard. As per Ann’s wishes, the family is not having a funeral or memorial service. Online condolences may be made at lovefuneralhome.net
