Judy Armstrong

Services will be held Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church, for Judith “Judy” Amstrong who died February 23, 2024 at her home.   Judy was born December 12, 1946, in St. Louis, Missouri to Rudy and Jessie Blome.    Her family relocated to Roswell, NM in the 1950s.  Her mother, a nurse, was caretaker to Walt Whittman’s niece who they packed in their car with a mattress in the back.    Judy and her family were regular attenders of First United Methodist Church, where Judy loved singing in the choir where she met her one true love, Hal Armstrong.   They were married on August 20, 1983, and enjoyed many happy times before his death.   Judy’s love of singing led to her touring Iceland and Greenland with the USO in her younger years and later founded the Tergitelli Sisters who entertained Roswell in the 1980’s and 1990’s.   

An Alumnus of Eastern New Mexico University and educator for 39 years, Judy retired as President of ENMU-Roswell in 2008.   A graduate of Roswell High School, Judy began her career as an educator in Kansas and later served as assistant director of the Roswell Public Library.  During her 35-year tenure at ENMU-Roswell, she worked as an English/Communications Instructor, and Dean of Instruction.    She was appointed Provost in February 2002 and retired as President in 2008.  

Since Judy became Provost of ENMU-Roswell, enrollment reached new heights, surpassing the 4200 mark in the fall of 2005.  Under her leadership more than 150 online courses were added with the campus partnering with other community and national entities to bring the International Law Enforcement Academy, New Mexico Youth Challenge, New Mexico MESA, and the Flight Safety Training Center.  She helped facilitate remote access to Eastern New Mexico University to serve Chaves County residents wanting to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees without leaving Roswell.   

Judy has received recognition for her love of education and community and was the first recipient of the ENMU Haughawaut Exemplary Human Relations Award, the 1996 Amigo Award from the New Mexico Library Association, the Governor’s Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women in 1993 and Outstanding Leader Award from the Leadership Roswell Alumni Association in 2006.  She was a recipient of the 2007 Heritage Award from the Historical Society for Southeast New Mexico, Citizen of the Year Award for the Roswell Hispano Chamber of Commerce in 2008, the 2009 Character Counts of Chaves County Adult Character Builder Award and awarded the Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in 2009.   She was also inducted into the ENMU Educator’s Hall of Honor in 2009.  

Her community activities include service on the ENMU-Roswell Foundation Board, Roswell Complete Count 2010 Census Committee, Roswell Safe Coalition, Altrusa, Walker Aviation Museum Foundation, First United Methodist Church, Roswell Public Library Board of Trustees, Chaves County CASA, Roswell Symphony Guild, and the Chaves County Economic Development Corporation. For fun, she liked to tap dance with the Rac-a-Taps dancers.

Judy is preceded in death by her husband, Hal Armstrong, parents, Rudy and Jessie “G” Blome, brother Gary Blome and nephew Greg Knoch.   Those left to cherish her memory include her nieces Rachel Tutor, and husband Jeff, Crystal Knoch and wife, Jessica, Elizabeth Raxter; nephews, Geoff Blome and wife, Kerry, and Todd Cozart with 17 great nieces and nephews and one great-great nephew.; siblings Gordon Blome and wife, Linda, Janet Richardson and husband, Jim and the children of her of late husband Hal Armstrong.   

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ENMU-Roswell Foundation Board, Walker Aviation Museum Foundation, Roswell Public Library, Chaves County CASA and/or the Cowboy Bell Scholarship program c/o First United Methodist Church.