Elaine Armstrong

Julia Elaine Powell Armstrong, lovingly known to all as Elaine, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the age of 89. She was born on September 19, 1936, in Norfolk, Virginia, and lived a life marked by her incredible intellect, courage, and devotion.

Elaine’s life journey carried her from the bustling city of Norfolk, VA, to the rural cornfields of Gates County, North Carolina, and onward to the many places she would call home. She attended Livingstone College in Rowan County, North Carolina, and over the years lived in Catawba County, Buncombe County, upstate New York, Asheville, Durham, and ultimately Charlotte, NC, where she settled and built a life surrounded by family. Wherever she lived, Elaine left an indelible mark through her work, her wisdom, and her indomitable spirit.

Elaine was deeply committed to learning and education throughout her life. She graduated from T.S. Cooper High School, in Sunbury, North Carolina, and went on to earn her undergraduate degree from Livingstone College, in Salisbury, North Carolina. Never content to stop growing, she later earned a Master of Social Work degree, from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1972—a milestone that reflected both her intellectual rigor and her enduring commitment to service, advocacy, and the well-being of others.

Elaine’s professional life reflected her sharp intellect and deep commitment to service. Her broad and accomplished career included work as a grade-school teacher in Catawba and Burke Counties, North Carolina; a social worker in Broome County, New York; a college professor at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and Chapel Hill; and later as a state regulator overseeing long-term care homes across the entire State of North Carolina. Unofficially—but just as passionately—Elaine was a seamstress, a gardener, a Jazzercise queen, a greenway walker, a yogi, and a Dash Diet Clinic counselor, always eager to learn, teach, and help others improve their lives.

Of all her accomplishments, Elaine was most proud of her role as a beloved sister, auntie, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her four children: James David Armstrong, Jr. and his fiancée (Alashia Gellineau); Deborah Loren Armstrong-Whitfield; Brenda Carol Armstrong; and Robert Jon Armstrong all of Charlotte, NC. She leaves behind her cherished granddaughters: Jasmine Allen (Moe Allen); Julia Elaine Whitfield; and Elizabeth Carol Whitfield, as well as her adored great-granddaughter, Brooklyn Bradley Boulware (Jeremiah Boulware) and one grandson, Cory Massey, all of whom brought her immense joy.

Elaine is also survived by her siblings: her sister, Brenda Ann Powell Costen, of Sunbury, North Carolina; her brother, James Christopher Macaulay Powell (Joanne Powell), of Norfolk, Virginia; her youngest brother, John Wayne Powell (Vickie McNear-Powell) of Abingdon, Maryland; and her youngest sister, Sandra Nadine Powell Chambers-Brown (Courtlandt Brown) of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and a host of beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. She is predeceased in death by her mother, Leota Powell, and her sister, Jane Caroline Giles.

Elaine was dynamic—a true force to be reckoned with. She was loving, empathetic, compassionate, fiercely protective, and endlessly generous with her time, her guidance, and her wisdom. A highly intelligent and discerning deep thinker, she was also delightfully wacky and kooky, quick-witted, practical, strategic, and extraordinarily resourceful. She could find irony and humor in almost any situation, and when circumstances demanded it, she would turn into the original, “Kraken,” fearlessly advocating and defending those she loved and held dear.

She expressed her love in many ways, including through her actions—offering wise counsel, helping family members think through life’s challenges, holding a clear and hopeful vision for each person’s future, and empowering them to move forward even in moments of fear or doubt. Elaine told the truth, even when it was hard to hear. She fiercely protected her family and their causes. Above all, she made time for her loved ones—reveling and cherishing the time she invested in her family, with great joy.

Elaine loved sewing, gardening, reading, cooking, caring for her family, and being silly. Her smile arrived before her words, and her laugh stayed long after. It had a way of filling a room and softening hearts. You couldn’t help but smile back – it was an invitation into her joy. Her singing—both grotesque and hilarious—never failed to bring laughter and remains a treasured memory for all who knew her.

She also leaves behind a legacy of wisdom, passed down through her beloved truisms, often repeated and deeply lived: “Get in the road.” “Nothing given in love is ever lost.” “Handle your business.” “They’ll need you before you need them.” “Life for you will be no crystal stair.” “Eat the elephant, one bite at a time.” “The victory’s in the believing.”

Elaine devoted her life to her children from the moment she became a mother in February of 1956, working unceasingly to ensure their safety, growth, independence, and ability to contribute meaningfully to their communities. Her influence continues in the lives she shaped, the values she instilled, and the love she gave so freely. Elaine will be truly missed, sweetly remembered, and deeply loved, FOREVER.

The memorial service in celebration of Elaine's life will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Harrisburg, North Carolina.