SANFORD — Patricia A. (Armstrong) Hartford, 75, formerly of Sanford, flew into the arms of God on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua, N.H. after a brief illness.
She was surrounded by her family and loved ones as she passed.
Patricia was born in Dallas, Texas to Thomas Miley and Martha Lucille (Willis) Armstrong. Due to unfortunate circumstances, she was given up for adoption at the age of 12 and was placed in an orphanage. At the age of 13, she and two girlfriends, Mattie Markham, 14, and Faye Ellenburg, 15, “busted out” of the orphanage and ran away. They were hitchhiking on the highway and were given a ride by a kind person who brought them to the home of Rev. Bert and Retha Strickland.
Sadly, Rev. Strickland had to notify the orphanage of the runaways, and the police took the girls to a holding facility until they could go before a judge. Rev. Strickland drove the 100-mile round trip daily to visit the girls at the holding facility. On the day of their hearing, Rev. and Mrs. Strickland adopted all three girls in addition to their four children at home, and raised them as a loving family.
Patricia graduated from Midwest City, Okla. High School and earned a nursing certificate. Raised as the daughter of a Southern Baptist reverend, she was kind, soft-spoken and had a devout love of the Lord.
She was preceded in death by: her birth parents and her foster parents; her brother, David Armstrong of Oklahoma; and her sister, Brenda Pettie of Oklahoma.
She is survived by: her ex-husband, Donald W. Hartford of Sanford; her son, Mark W. Hartford and his wife, Dianna (Peare) of Sanford; a daughter, Deborah (Hartford) Holmes and her husband, Raymond L. Holmes Jr. of New Ipswich, N.H.; her brother, James Armstrong of California; two foster brothers, James and Daniel Strickland of Oklahoma; a sister, Nancy Folsom of Illinois; two foster sisters, Miriam Young and Beverly Weaver of Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Devon and Ariana Holmes of New Ipswich, N.H. and Matthew Hartford of Somersworth, N.H.; and one great-grandchild, Jace Hartford.
Visiting hours will be Friday, April 25 from 9-11 a.m. at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home located at 580 Main St. in Springvale. Service will start at 11 a.m. and the burial will follow immediately in Oakdale Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed at www.blackfuneralhomes.com.
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