The Shadow
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PLANO, Texas — Rodney Armstrong, 72, of Plano, Texas, formerly of Covington, passed away Friday, Aug. 18, after an extended illness.
Rod was born and raised in Covington and spent summers at his grandparents’ place on the Cowpasture River, leaving an imprint on his soul.
He graduated from Covington High School in 1961, going on to the University of Virginia where he earned a masters in chemistry.
After graduating university, Rod returned to Covington as a math teacher, head wrestling coach and assistant football coach for eight years.
He then earned an MBA from William & Mary after which he worked at a bank in Richmond, before moving to Texas in the late 1970s to work for EDS.
Once in Texas, he met the love of his life, Kathy and her daughter Selena.
Rod and Kathy were married in October of 1980.
Among his roles at EDS, Rod spent time as a lobbyist in D.C. before working in a division selling off subsidiaries, which led Rod to his final career as CEO of his own company after deciding to buy one of the divisions he was asked to sell.
In 1989, he incorporated the new business as Peerless Systems, Inc., naming it after his grandfather’s creamery in Virginia where Rod had his first job loading crates of milk and cases of Coke from the Coca Cola bottling plant onto their respective delivery trucks.
Over the next 10 years, Rod expanded the company taking it public in 1996 and eventually selling it to Jack Henry & Associates in 1998, upon which he was able to take an early retirement.
Upon retirement, Rod poured himself even more fully into his life’s passion, which was growing, showing and judging daffodils; the middle of a three-generation family to do so.
Rod maintained an extensive daffodil garden in his beautifully landscaped creek-bordered yard in Plano, Texas, as well as an even more exhaustive daffodil garden at his family farm on the Cowpasture River in the mountains of Virginia.
His garden in Plano, Texas was known throughout the neighborhood.
He was, perhaps, never more at peace or at home than he was amidst his daffodil field in Virginia.
As an over 30 year member of the America Daffodil Society, he was a fixture on its board, often alongside lifelong friends of his parents, serving in many capacities including two terms as treasurer, one term as president, judging school instructor and in many more ways.
For his years of service to the society, he was awarded the ADS Silver medal for lifetime achievement in 2015.
Rod absolutely cherished his daffodil friends, whom he often called family.
Rod was also a 27-plus year member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Plano, Texas, where he served as an usher and on the parish finance committee.
In 2003, he converted to Catholicism after devotedly attending weekly mass alongside his family for 20-plus years.
Rod is survived by his wife Kathy; children, Selena Kelley Brooks and her husband Mike, Andrew Perry Armstrong and his wife Celeste DesOrmeaux; grandchildren, Kelley Marie Guerrero and her husband Andrew and Brendan Michael Brooks; great-granddaughter, Scarlett Marie Guerrero and one more on the way; sister, Sally Bingley and her husband Chuck; and brother-in-law, Mac McLaughlin.
Rod is preceded in death by his sister, Beverly McLaughlin; and his parents.
A Memorial Mass with reception to follow was held, Saturday, Aug. 26, at 10:30 a.m. at their church in Plano, Texas.
He will be laid to rest at their private ceremony on their family farm in Sharon Saturday, Sept. 9. Local family and friends are welcome.
Memorial donations may be made to Boys Home of Virginia, http://boyshomeofva.org/help-us/financial-donations/.
