Date of death: 10/1/2026
Saint Meinrad Class: C 1969
Kenneth Edwin Armstrong, 79, of Cary, NC, died peacefully on October 1, 2026, at Shiloh Grove Family Care Home, holding the hand of his wife, Grace.
Ken was born on August 3, 1947, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended the Latin School of Indianapolis and later spent a year at Saint Meinrad, intending at the time to become a Catholic priest. Then, as Ken might have put it, he discovered girls, reconsidered the priesthood, and chose a different path.
He attended Indiana University, where he majored in history, and went on to earn his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.
Ken enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an attorney. Early in his career, he practiced law in Toledo, Ohio, working on environmental matters. He later moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, and joined Florida Progress, which became Progress Energy. He eventually served as General Counsel of Progress Energy, a position in which he was both successful and highly regarded by his colleagues. Following Progress Energy’s acquisition by Duke Energy, Ken retired from the company. Not quite ready to leave the law behind, he later joined Raymond James Financial as Associate General Counsel, retiring in 2014.
Ken was a quiet man, but never a solitary one. He genuinely enjoyed the company of others and valued friendship deeply. He did not make friends quickly, but when he did, he kept them. Friendships dating back to his Latin School and Saint Meinrad days endured throughout his life, with old friends remaining in touch until the very end.
He was also extraordinarily generous—to his family, his church, and the charities that mattered to him. His generosity was generally quiet, much like Ken himself. He didn’t need recognition for doing something he believed was right.
Ken loved golf. He took up the game after moving to Florida and eventually became a very good golfer. Even better, he introduced Grace to the game, and golf became something they could enjoy together. It took them on many wonderful trips, with Ken’s favorites including their visits to St. Andrews in Scotland, the home of golf.
His lifelong interest in history never left him. World War II documentaries were particular favorites, and he remained an avid reader of The Wall Street Journal. Friends and family became accustomed to receiving articles from Ken on subjects he thought they ought to know about—business, politics, history, or simply something he found interesting. Sending an article was one of Ken’s ways of saying, “I thought of you.”
Ken is survived by his wife, Grace; his stepchildren, Katie McCleary of Hudson, Florida, Matthew McCleary of Cary, North Carolina, and Daniel McCleary of Santiago, Chile; and his siblings, Mary Armstrong, Richard Armstrong, and Kathy Armstrong, all of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Ken’s life was not a loud one. It was a life of intelligence, loyalty, generosity, faith, enduring friendships, meaningful work, good golf, good wine, and love.
And at its end, he left this life as peacefully as one could hope—holding Grace’s hand.
https://neptunesociety.com/obituaries/raleigh-nc/kenneth-armstrong-13059444