Father Daniel Armstrong had a great love for the Blessed Mother

Father Daniel F. Armstrong

By Mary Ann Wyand

Father Daniel F. Armstrong, a native of Richmond and retired diocesan priest, died on Jan. 20 at the Greenwood Village Nursing Home in Greenwood. He was 75.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated by Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein on Jan. 25 at Our Lady of the Greenwood Church in Greenwood. Burial followed at St. Andrew Cemetery in Richmond.

Father Bernard Head, the homilist for the funeral Mass, said he often traveled with his good friend.

“He loved to travel,” Father Head said. “That was one of his real joys in life. He used to lead pilgrimages to various places in Europe, and was very energized by that. He was a good traveling companion.”

Father Armstrong was very dedicated to his priestly ministry, Father Head said. “I was impressed by his commitment to the Church and commitment to ministry.”

Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, vicar general, said Father Armstrong had been a member of the Brothers of Charity and was a teacher before his ordination to the priesthood.

“I got to know Father Dan Armstrong when he spent a year as a deacon at my home parish, Holy Name of Jesus, in Beech Grove,” Msgr. Schaedel said. “We had much in common since I too was a teacher. He was always an interesting conversationalist.”

Father Armstrong had a great love for the Virgin Mary, the vicar general said. “He was very proud of his collection of statues of the Blessed Mother, which he had collected from various places around the world over the years.”

Daniel Foster Armstrong was born on May 9, 1931, in Richmond. He attended St. Andrew School and graduated from Richmond Senior High School.

He pursued undergraduate studies at La Mennais College from 1952-58 and later earned a graduate degree in religious studies at Manhattan College.

He completed his theology studies at St. Augustine Seminary in Canada from 1976-77 then was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop George Biskup on May 20, 1978, at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

His first assignment was as a full-time religion instructor at Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis, with residence at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in the Indianapolis North Deanery.

In 1979, Father Armstrong was named administrator of St. Mark Parish in Perry County. The following year, he was appointed pastor of that Tell City Deanery parish.

In 1981, he was appointed pastor of St. Anne Parish in New Castle. He assumed the pastorate of St. Joseph Parish in Shelbyville in 1985.

The next year, Father Armstrong was named pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Bedford and St. Mary Parish in Mitchell, with residence in Bedford.

In 1994, he served as a chaplain at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, with residence at St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Indianapolis.

On July 6, 1994, Father Armstrong was assigned to the Terre Haute Deanery as pastor of St. Leonard of Port Maurice Parish in West Terre Haute and St. Mary-of-the-Woods Parish in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, with residence at St. Leonard Parish.

Father Armstrong retired from active ministry in 1996.

He is survived by a sister, Celeste Scheibler, and two nephews, Lt. Col. Ret. Mark Scheibler and Scott Scheibler of Columbus. †