Frances Armitage

Frances Elizabeth Armitage, age 91, of Birmingham, Alabama, went home to be with her Lord on February 24, 2014. She was preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Rev. Wilson C. Armitage, and daughter, Kathleen L. Armitage as well as 3 brothers and 6 sisters. Born in Solon, New York to Henry and Lulu Knecht, she is survived by two daughters, Sharon Couch, (Robert) of Xenia, OH, and Barbara Downs, (Dennis) of Trenton, NJ; two sons, Milt Armitage (Margaret) of Trussville, AL and Roger Armitage, of Morrison, IL, 8 grandchildren, 8 step grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, and 5 step great grandchildren . Mrs. Armitage was a graduate of Baptist Bible Seminary, Johnson City, New York, where she met her husband, they were married in 1942. He was a bi-vocational pastor and they served as a camp supervisor for inner city children, as well as pastor of churches in Auburn, New York; Rose Hill, New York; Tidioute, Pennsylvania; Holland, New York and Morrison, Illinois. In 1972 they moved to NJ and assisted in the ministry as well as teaching at Faith Baptist Church, Trenton until 1976, when they accepted the position of house parents at Spurgeon Bible College in Lakeland, FL. Later they moved to Birmingham, AL to be closer to family. For several years Frances was an employee of Southern Research Institute in Birmingham, until her retirement at the age of 70. She taught a ladies' class at Roebuck Park Baptist Church, (now Northpark Baptist) and later taught a ladies class at Clearview Baptist Church on Springville Road in Pinson, AL where she was a member. In 1997, at the age of 75, she was part of a mission team to Kenya, Africa. She also taught first grade children and worked in the Awana Club at Clearview Baptist Church. Services will be held Saturday, March 1 at Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home, 1591 Gadsden Highway, in Birmingham, AL. Visitation will be at the funeral home at 11 Am with the funeral to follow at 12 PM. A friend of the family, Dr. Roger Crew, Minister of Education, First Baptist Trussville, will be officiating. Jefferson Memorial Trussville directing.