A native of Perry County, Tennessee, Sid was the son of Lanty Lot Armstrong and Emma Adeline Graham, the husband of Arlis Josie O'Guin, and the father of Wilma Armstrong Hudgins and Clara Armstrong Shannon.

The following eulogy was delivered at his funeral service by his son-in-law, Wayne Hudgins. It is taken from
"Armstrong Family Recipes and Memories - 2000," which was compiled by Clara Armstrong Shannon for the annual Armstrong reunion in Centerville, Tennessee.

Eulogy for James Sidney Armstrong
by Wayne Hudgins
For some 32 years now, I have been privileged to call Mr. Sid Armstrong my father-in-law.
During those years I have known him to be a man who loved his wife and daughters, and who worked very hard and very willingly to care and provide for his loved ones.
Mr. Sid also loved God and the Lord's church. Wherever he lived he always supported the local congregation in any way he could. My wife, Wilma, tells me that as far back as she can remember she was made to understand that the church was very important to her parents. She has told me about how, once when she was just a toddler, they lived on Swan. And one Sunday morning Swan Creek was up so high that people could not get their wagons or cars over the underwater bridge. But Mr. Sid and Mrs. Arlis did not believe that people should allow inconveniences to keep them from attending church services. So they got themselves and Wilma ready, and they walked the three miles to church services. Wilma remembers Mr. Sid carrying her across a swinging bridge and much of the rest of the way as she would become tired walking.
And then again Wilma told me about how, when she was about 8 or 9 years old, they lived on Wolf Creek. Early one Easter Sunday morning they woke up to a big surprise. The sky was bright and clear, as it had been the night before, but there lay about 8 inches of snow on the ground. Now ordinarily Mr. Sid and family would walk the one mile through their pasture and over the path through the woods in order to attend church services. But since Wilma and the little girl who had spent the night with her did not have snow boots, that didn't seem very feasible for this Sunday. However, Wilma remembers hearing Mr. Sid and Mrs. Arlis saying to one another, "We've got to get these girls to church services." So Mrs. Arlis bundled up the girls, and Mr. Sid got out his old mule, placed the girls on the mule, and away they went. And the four of them arrived at church services on time.
One more story - When Wilma was 11 years old and Clara was just 3 months old, the family moved to Ecourse, Michigan. Before the first Sunday rolled around Mr. Sid had located the church building. They did not own a car. But they walked one mile to the bus stop, boarded the bus, and made it to the church services just fine. Eventually they bought a car while in Michigan. However, with or without a car, during the 3-1/2 years they lived there, they attended church services regularly and supported the work of their local congregation in many ways. You see, Mr. Sid and Mrs. Arlis believed that when something is important for the well-being of the souls of our family, we can find a way to accomplish it.
I remember how, since I have known Mr. Sid, he loved to attend Gospel meetings and hear God's message proclaimed. And usually he would spend part of the time to and from the services happily singing Gospel songs. And again, Wilma remembers that when they lived on Wolf Creek they did not own a car - but when there was a meeting going on at Coble, Mr. Sid often got out his rubber tired wagon, and he and the family would start out up Wolf Creek, and pick up people until the wagon was full - then they would all continue on the five miles from Wolf Creek to Coble in order to hear a message from God's word.
And now for a few more things I remember about Mr. Sid. As one man can understand another, I have known Mr. Sid to be a man of very high moral character. He was a scruptiously honest man. Honest and fairness in business dealings, and indeed in all areas of life was something very dear to his heart.
I also remember Mr. Sid's kindness to his mother- and father-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. O'Guin. When they became old and unable to care for some of their own needs, Mr. Sid helped Mrs. Arlis to care for them just as though they were his own mother and daddy. (And you know - we really do reap what we sow in this life). When it came time for Mr. Sid to become old and unable to care for his own needs, his sons-in-law also loved and cared for him, as though he were their own father.
For the last couple of years Mr. Sid has not been able to communicate with us very well. But this past June when Wilma and I came in from Michigan, Mrs. Arlis finally made him aware that we were there, and she asked him what he wanted to say to us. It took him a while to respond, but after a little bit he said just 5 little words - but those 5 little words were very full of meaning. He said, "Tell them to be good."
And you know those words sum up much of Mr. Sid's philosophy of life. He wanted to be good himself. And he so much wanted all of his family, to be good. He even wanted friends and acquaintances to be good and to obey God. And as I have known Mr. Sid for the past 33 years, I have known him to be good. And, to be a man who has tried very hard to lead his family and others in the paths of goodness and righteousness.
And now, knowing Mr. Sid's love for the things taught in God's holy word, I know that he would desire that each one of us listen very carefully, as God speaks to us through his word.
John 8:31-32: "Then said Jesus . . . If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
I Pet. 3:9-12: "For this is your calling, to do good, and one day to inherit all the goodness of God. For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him seek peace, and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers."
Heb. 13:20-21: "Now the God of peace . . . make you perfect in every good work to do his will. . . ."