Others Magazine

Major Kingsley Armstrong was promoted to glory on Tuesday 11 October 2022, aged 85. He had faithfully served as a Salvation Army officer for 60 years.

Born on 7 August 1937 in Subiaco (WA), Kingsley attended the Perth Fortress Corps. He was studying accountancy prior to entering Officer Training College in the Soldiers of Christ session on 11 January 1961. Following his commissioning in January 1963, he was appointed to the Sale Corps (Vic.).

Kingsley married Margaret on 21 December 1963. They returned to Sale Corps to commence their shared ministry. Further corps appointments throughout Victoria included Frankston, Bendigo, Red Cliffs, Maryborough and Ballarat Central.

A change in ministry followed when Kingsley was appointed in 1976 to Planned Giving in the Public Relations Department at Territorial Headquarters, Melbourne. In 1978, he took up a new appointment as the Divisional Youth Secretary and Public Relations Secretary in Tasmania before returning to Victoria in 1981 as Divisional Youth Secretary to the Melbourne Central Division.

In 1983, Kingsley and Margaret were appointed to Preston as corps officers. Kingsley returned to Territorial Headquarters in 1986, serving in the Finance Department.

In the latter part of 1988, he was appointed to the South Australia Division as Public Relations Secretary. Further appointments in South Australia followed, as the Territorial Demographer for Church Growth, the Territorial Community Research Consultant, and subsequently as the State Command Secretary.

Kingsley and Margaret returned to Victoria in 1994, with Kingsley appointed to the roles of Assistant Public Relations Secretary – Planned Giving Operations Manager and Territorial Director of Deferred Giving. In January 1998, Kingsley was appointed as Research Analysis Officer. His final appointment was as Business Manager at the Melbourne Training College, where he continued to serve for an additional year after retirement in 2002.

In retirement, Kingsley supported the ministry of the Ringwood Corps as a member of the planned giving and pastoral care teams.

Kingsley established and maintained a beautiful garden after taking up residence with Margaret at Hayville Village in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. He relished having more time to spend with Margaret, his family and his much-loved grandchildren.

Kingsley was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2016. Margaret had to make the difficult decision to place him in care in December 2017. He became a resident of Millward Aged Care where it was reported that “he changed the fabric of the ward.”

Throughout his life, Kingsley was unfailingly courteous, cooperative and kind. He brought a beautiful smile to his interactions with others. He was a devoted husband and father and a proud grandfather and great-grandfather.

Our love and prayers, along with our heartfelt sympathy, surround Margaret, Kylie, Newton, and Stuart; the grandchildren – Oliver, Gracie and husband Brendon, Jarrah and Tigerlily; and the great-grandchildren – Henry and Delilah.

The Master said to Kingsley, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful ... Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23).