Doris E. Wood Armstrong King
Doris E Wood Armstrong King, 78, died peacefully on Friday, July 14, 2023 at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, where she was blessed to have a wonderful support team of caregivers for the past two and a half years. She was born and grew up in Waltham, the daughter of Roy Wood and Edith Hawes Wood along with her five siblings.
She married Harold Armstrong, September 18, 1965. Their first daughter Julie (late) was born in 1969. Their second daughter Meredith was born in 1974.
At Doris’ 20th Waltham High School reunion she met her future husband, Allen King. They married November 23, 1983. Moving to Acton, they blended their family. Doris’ daughters Julie and Meredith and Allen’s son Peter and daughter, Jennifer.
Doris was a resident of Venice, Fl and Groton; they were snowbirds enjoying the best of both seasons. At the end of her life she was surrounded by a wonderful circle of friends from her Venice Community, Groton and her Unitarian Church group.
Caring for children was Doris’ biggest passion and motivation in life. She cared for her own blended family, Julie, Meredith, Jennifer, and Peter, and later took in her grandchildren Lauren and Mathew. She started a daycare in Needham in 1977. In 1995, in her continued commitment to children, she went back to college, graduating in 1997, Summa Cum Laude, from Fitchburg State with a degree in Human Services for Children. She then worked for the Early Head Start program in Lowell. Later in life, Doris most enjoyed being surrounded by her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
After moving to Groton in 1995, through genealogy research, Doris and Allen were amazed to find, both their families go back to the original founders of Groton in 1655. Records show Doris’ ancestor, Samuel Woods and Allen’s, Nathanial Lawrence were paid six pence to frame the first meeting house in 1666, 357 years ago. Doris was also the direct descendant of three on the Mayflower, Warren, White and Cooke.
Doris and Allen shared a passion for travel. They visited more than 40 countries stretching from St Petersburg, Russia to the Galapagos Islands. They also visited most of the National Parks in the US including Alaska.
Doris leaves behind her daughters, Julie Armstrong Leonardis Silva (late) and Meredith Armstrong Campbell. Her stepchildren, Peter King and Jennifer King Foley. Her grandchildren, Lauren Leonardis, Matthew Leonardis and Everett Armstrong, Emily King, Ellie King, Scarlet Foley and Sebastian Foley. Her great grandchildren Fahren Leonardis Arnos and Atlas Arnos. And brothers and sisters, Dick Wood, David Wood (late), Evelyn Wood, Janice Williamson and Robert Wood.
She was surrounded by the people who loved her after a courageous eight-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis and Parkinson's Disease.
Her funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 16,2023 at the First Parish Church, Unitarian Universalist, 1 Powderhouse Road, Groton, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The Wish Project, Lowell, MA (www.https://www.thewishproject.org/)