Nelda Armstrong

Nelda Fay Ellison Armstrong, 81, of Lubbock, passed away on Tuesday morning in Abilene. Nelda was born Dec. 28, 1935 in Gatesville, Texas, to the late Frank and Juanita (Whitehead) Ellison. Her family lived on a farm in Erath County, before moving to Crosbyton. Nelda graduated from high school in Crosby County before marrying and moving to Lubbock, where she attended Draughon’s Business College. After living in Tulia and Plainview, Nelda settled in Lubbock in 1960, where she remained until 2015. Nelda opened N. Armstrong Advertising in June 1974 and became the first woman in Lubbock to own her own advertising agency. Her first job in advertising was in 1960 as office manager and secretary at Buckner Advertising, where she worked off and on throughout the ‘60s. At her own agency, Nelda enjoyed using freelance artists and copywriters and providing Texas Tech students with internships and employment opportunities. She felt fortunate to handle the advertising for Gebo’s for 35 years and work with Plains Cotton Growers Inc. for more than 50 years. A member of numerous civic organizations, Nelda enjoyed serving as secretary of the Lubbock Advertising Federation for more than 20 years. The organization honored her with its first Lifetime Achievement award in 2003. She was a past president of Women in Communications and also was involved with Lubbock Arts Alliance, the Women’s Division of the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce and Lubbock Symphony Guild. Nelda was a charter member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, where she served on several committees. Other than raising her four children, Nelda considered her biggest accomplishment to be her induction into the Texas Tech College of Mass Communications Hall of Fame in 1997. She earned the following awards: Advertising Federation's 10th District Silver Medal award, multiple Lubbock Addy Awards, National Agri-Marketing Association awards, WICI's Business Woman of the Year, and Communicator of the Year. She also was named one of the top 200 influential people who helped Lubbock become the Hub of the South Plains by the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal in 2008. Nelda is preceded in death by her daughter, Cindy Armstrong Brown. She is survived by her children, Gregg Armstrong of Fort Worth, Lisa Hoover of Abilene and Leslie Rudd (Scott) of Rowlett; seven grandsons and one granddaughter, Gram Armstrong, Travis Armstrong (Tiffany), Justin Armstrong (Jeanie), Jared Hoover (Staci), Brittany Hoover Magelssen (Tommy), Seth Swinford, Keerigan Rudd and Keaton Rudd; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister, Twila Aufill of Lubbock. Visitation will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday at Sanders Funeral Home. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Covenant Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Nelda Armstrong and Cindy Armstrong Brown Scholarship fund for advertising students at Texas Tech. (Checks may be payable to: TTAA-ET with "Nelda Armstrong and Cindy Armstrong Brown Scholarship," in the memo line, and mailed to: Texas Tech Alumni Association, P.O. Box 45001, Lubbock, TX, 79409)

Nelda Armstrong

December 28, 1935 - October 3, 2017