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Elmira ("Ellie") (Tiffany) Armstrong-Gale passed away in her home on July 17, 2019 due
to complications with lung cancer. Due to Covid restrictions and extenuating
circumstances, burial was delayed.
Elmira was born on October 15, 1954, to Clara Mae (Burlingham) Tiffany and Elwood
Junior Tiffany. Ellie grew up in Eureka, MT where she lived for many years due to the
volume of her extended family and their close ties. She told me that she met the love of
her life, my father, David Price Armstrong. After a short courtship, they got married and
had a child in 1975. Sadly, in December 1977, David her beloved husband passed away
due to medical complications. Ellie became a single parent and worked miscellaneous
jobs in Eureka until she decided to move to Missoula, MT where her aunt lived.
Ellie attended vocational school to obtain her GED and other basic administrative skills.
She worked very hard to support herself and her daughter. She most enjoyed working at
the hospitals because she made friends with her coworkers and some patients. She made a
brief move to Alaska with her dogs, which was an exciting adventure. Unfortunately, she
was unable to find employment so she eventually returned to Missoula, MT.
Once Ellie was able to settle in again, she had her brother Ron stay with her for a short
time after he moved back from Texas. She picked up a job working for food services at
Community Hospital where she stayed until she could no longer work. Ellie was
diagnosed with pneumonia, Stage 4 COPD and lung cancer in April 2014. She was
stubborn and determined to fight! She also decided that to do some things she never got
to do like attend a ZZ Top concert at Osprey Stadium where she had a blast and loved
every minute of it! She tried so hard to get to meet the band and even asked her doctors to
see if they could. That is the happiest I had seen her in a long time. She chose to focus on
doing things that brought her joy instead of her illnesses. She also took a few road trips to
see family and friends around MT. She spent quality time with her daughter, Lillie and
grandson, Camden, who moved back to MT from TX to be closer to her.
Elmira was preceded in death by her beloved husband, David Price Armstrong, her
mother, Clara Mae Tiffany and her father, Elwood Junior Tiffany.
Elmira is survived by her sisters, Iva DeShazer and Riviera ("Tammy") (Mack) Giffin,
her daughter, Lillie Faye Armstrong, her grandson, Camden Lee Price Armstrong
(Joselyn Ruth), and her great grandsons, Christopher and Leo.
Ellie's ashes will be interned with those of her brother, Ronald Tiffany at Tobacco Valley
Cemetery, 64250 MT-37, Eureka, MT 59917 on July 16, 2024 at 11:00 am. There will be
a graveside service of remembrance held for Ron and Ellie. We welcome family and
friends to attend and pay their respects.
Arrangements are under the care of Schnackenberg Funeral Home of Eureka, MT. Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.
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