Ula Bates Armstrong was born on August 4th, 1923. Her parents were Jim Bates of Tecumseh, KS and Caroline Bahnmaier Bates of Lecompton, KS. They farmed near Tecumseh where Ula was born and raised.

Ula had four siblings: Alfred of Oskaloosa, KS, Lavinia Chegwyn of Rosedale, MN, Ira of Los Angeles, CA, and Wayne, who resides in Longmont, CO.

She attended Williams Grade School and graduated from Highland Park High School in 1941, Ula moved to Topeka where she was employed at Bell Telephone Co. She was introduced to John Junior Armstrong through mutual friends and they were married December 18, 1949 at the First Presbyterian Church in Topeka. John Junior Armstrong survives.

Ula moved south of Muscotah, KS where John Junior farmed with his father and brother. In 1953, they had a son, John Jay, who currently manages the farm operation. In 1957, they built a new home on the farm. In 1958, they had their second son, James Rex who is a faculty member at the University of Kansas.

In 1971, John Junior became president of Kansas Farm Bureau and they lived in Manhattan, KS until 1983. During this time, Ula and Junior traveled throughout Kansas, the United States, and around the world including many countries in Europe, Asia, South America, North Africa, and the Caribbean.

Ula was very active in The Muscotah United Church serving as a member on the Board of Trustees, a Sunday School teacher, and on numerous other committees. She was a Grand Ada in the Eastern Star and a 4-H leader for the Rose Valley Rustlers 4-H Club. Both she and John Junior were active in the 4-H Foundation. For many years, Ula was a correspondent for the Atchison Daily Globe.

She had a great love for local history and genealogy and wrote two extensive books on the Armstrong and Bahnmaier families as well as several works regarding the history of Muscotah and the Muscotah United Church, where she was an active member.

Ula loved to sing and sang for over 200 funerals in the Muscotah area. The old hymns were a strong expression of her Christian faith. All her life, she worked tirelessly and lovingly to support her family and community. She will be greatly missed.

Visitation will be held at Dishon-Maple-Chaney Funeral Home in Horton, Kansas on Wednesday, May 22 from 6:30-8:30. There will be a private burial at Muscotah Cemetery followed by a Memorial Service at Muscotah Unitied Church at 1:00 on Thursday, May 23.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Muscotah United Church or the Kansas 4-H Foundation in Ula's name in care of the Dishon-Maple-Chaney Morturay, 909 Central, Horton, KS 66439.