Charles W. Armstrong
Charles W. Armstrong (Charlie, Chuck) passed away in his home in Clovis, California, on December 16, 2007, surrounded by family.
A graduate of the Dhahran Junior High School in 1961, returning student and later an employee of Aramco, he spent more than thirty years in Abqaiq and Dhahran. As a returning student, Charlie was known for his bleach-blond hair, dark tan, daringness off the diving board and for once having a sea turtle in his front yard swimming pool. He was an original "beach boy" and discovered his love for the ocean in Half Moon Bay.
Chuck, as he was known as an adult in Saudi, returned to Aramco as a biology teacher in 1979. After seven years in the classroom, he transferred to the Drilling and Training Department where he would spend the rest of his career. Chuck retired from Aramco in 1996 after 18 years of service.
He was an educator and man of passion. A frequent guest speaker in Aramco schools, he shared his love for wildlife by bringing nature, i.e. scorpions, thubs, horned sand vipers, falcons, turkeys and even a green sea turtle, into the classroom.
Charlie was a Master SCUBA Instructor who, through his courses, dive trips and aquarium building taught many to enjoy the underwater world. He was an outdoorsman and was frequently called upon by the drilling community to take care of injured or exhausted birds of prey. He could often be found flying a Steppe Eagle or Falcon around the 3rd Street soccer field or over the Dhahran jebels.
He had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and the amazing ability to create "projects" in the most challenging of situations. He was a Leader, Entertainer, Teacher, Adventurer, Story-Teller and Family Man. He taught many and intrigued all; he is no longer with us but his stories live on.
Charlie is survived by his wife, Linda, sons Ryan and Brent, daughter-in-law Rieko, granddaughter Anna, sisters Diane Beresford, Lori Contreras, Becky Peabody, nieces and nephews. The family is collecting "Charlie Stories" for posterity and would love to hear from anyone whose life he touched.
The Armstrong Family
2614 Dewitt Ave
Clovis, CA 93612
or email armstrongs.of.arabia@gmail.com