Joan Williams Armstrong; Social Worker

Joan Williams Armstrong, a longtime social worker for Ventura County who once served as president of the Oxnard Republican Women’s Club, has died after a bout with cancer.

Armstrong, 63, an Oxnard resident, worked for 22 years with the county’s Public Social Services Agency, including 16 years as a social worker in adoptions. She died Oct. 14.

She counseled hundreds of adoptive families and helped place more than 100 children with local families.

Born in Butte, Mont., Armstrong moved to Oxnard in 1967 with her husband, who was a naval officer at Port Hueneme.

She graduated with honors from UC Santa Barbara in 1980 and later received a master’s degree in educational psychology from Cal State Northridge.

Co-workers at the social services agency said Armstrong was very popular with adoptive families she counseled.

“All the families loved her,” said Madeline Lee, another county social worker.

Lee described Armstrong as a low-key, compassionate person who would listen quietly to families who had problems with children they adopted. “She could listen and not judge,” Lee said.

Armstrong was also very interested in politics and social issues, particularly children’s welfare issues.

Her interests led her to serve as president of the Oxnard Republican Women’s Club for about two years in the early 1980s, her husband said.

She is survived by her husband, William E. Armstrong; a daughter, Christine Armstrong, and a son, William Armstrong Jr., all of Oxnard; another son, Mark Armstrong of Ukiah; a grandchild; a brother in Simi Valley, and a sister in New York.

A private memorial service for friends and relatives has been held.