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    Submitted & © by Will McCutcheon |
Obit for Gail posted by Janet Laubhan Flickinger
Feb 25, 1937 - Dec 12, 2013
http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/
Gail was born at home on February 25, 1937 in Coleman, Texas. He was the son of a Baptist minister and spent many days of his early life on the front pew of a church or a revival tent as his father’s ministry moved the family from Coleman to Abilene, to Brownfield, and finally back to Abilene. While living in Brownfield Gail met Josie Grissom, who became his high school sweetheart and shortly thereafter his wife, lifetime spouse, and best friend. Gail and Josie married on June 3, 1956 and immediately began traveling around Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Pennsylvania as Gail worked for companies that specialized in building churches. While traveling and building churches, the couple had their first son, David, while in Amarillo, Texas and their daughter, Pam, in Abilene, Texas. In 1966 Gail and Josie moved from Fort Worth, Texas to Norman, Oklahoma with the intent of starting a construction company and establishing a permanent home to raise their family. Upon moving to Norman in 1966, Gail purchased an APCO station with the intent of going into the oil jobber business and that businesses later grew to include both Derby dealerships as well as Conoco. Shortly thereafter, their youngest child, Brent was born in 1967. In 1967 Gail asked his older brother Gary if he would consider leaving Otis Engineering and joining him as business partners. Gary agreed to leave and join him. Over the next 46 years, until Gail’s passing, Gail and Gary were partners in everything from being oil jobbers and oil field drillers to commercial construction, land development and rental property management. Their business took them all over the country and built a lifetime bond between not just brothers but best of friends. Gail grew to love Norman, and loved the relationships and friendships that were built over those 46 years. His clients became his friends and his friends became his clients. Above all else, he was a man of integrity and he spent a lifetime looking to make relationships with men of like mindedness. Gail was a man that maintained friendships for a lifetime, and understood the time, energy and concern often needed to maintain friendships during difficult times. He gave gladly. He loved talking with interesting people with different points of view. Gail loved learning and spent a life in pursuit of that love. He studied geo-chemistry and mathematics at Hardin Simmons while living in Abilene and mathematics and computer science at TCU while living in Fort Worth. He so wanted to ignite that same love of learning in his children and grand children, that he established early on, provision for every family member to pursue their educational goals in college. He loved hosting international students at the University of Oklahoma, and he and Josie would cook dinner weekly during the school year to have the students over to discuss their families, their culture and their experiences. As a father and husband Gail’s language of love was being a provider, as well as being quick to offer a hand at any task that would get his hands dirty. He loved to travel anywhere with Josie, and also cherished his travel and time with best friends Bob and Nancy Thompson. He always felt like doing was learning and loved taking trips that involved new experiences that required action and involvement. He always wanted his time of rest to be interesting. Gail would often state that most of the earth was covered in water, and God was telling us that most of our time should be spent on the water. That was his justification to all of us why he needed to spend so much time on his boat at the lake and why we should be down there with him. His boat was his refuge and where he would mentally workout troublesome decisions. Gail named his boat “Intrinsic”. The moment that he reached the boat he was happy and relaxed. His other relaxing past time was tinkering with his 1947 Ford Convertible which he named “Jenny”. Gail loved helping others and giving back to the community. He spent some of his favorite time working with the planning department and the development departments with the City of Norman. He would always say that he hoped that his time spent working with the city would make Norman a better place to live. He was a quiet man that did not like the spotlight and spent a lifetime hoping to avoid any recognition for his work. He worked with numerous charities all over Norman, and most recently loved his time working with Food & Shelter for Friends. He would always say that there are a lot of people hurting in Norman, and that Food & Shelter for Friends was doing a great job for those needing help. Gail was a long time member of First Baptist Church in Norman, and really loved the Hopper Sunday School class there.Gail was preceded in death by his father, Wayland Sherrod Armstrong and mother Daisy Ray Hughes Armstrong.
He is
survived by his beloved wife, Josie Armstrong, of the
home; son, David Armstrong and wife Belinda; daughter,
Pam Wyrrick and husband, John; and son, Brent Armstrong
and wife Shauna. Gail is also survived by grandchildren,
Tyler Armstrong and wife Meredith; Jon Armstrong and
wife Sara; David Blaine Armstrong and wife Haley; Clay
Wyrrick; Haley Eddington and husband Randall; Drew
Wyrrick; Blaire Wyrrick; Emily Armstrong; Abby
Armstrong; Blaine Armstrong and Molly Armstrong. He is
also survived by great grand children, Sam Armstrong;
Addie Armstrong; and Emerson Armstrong. Gail is also
survived by Brothers Gary Armstrong and Don Armstrong;
as well as Sister Betty McBryde.
Memorials can be made
to Food & Shelter for Friends, 104 W. Comanche Street,
Norman, Oklahoma 73069.
Visitation –
Tuesday December
17, 2013, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Havenbrook Funeral Home,
3401 Havenbrook Street, Norman, OK 73072.
Memorial
Service –
Wednesday December 18, 2013, 2:00 PM at First
Baptist Church, 211 W. Comanche Street, Norman, OK
73072.
Gail and his family were placed in the care of the Vice Family at Havenbrook of Norman, OK.
Online condolences may be shared at www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com.
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