Kay Armstrong was born on June 16, 1939, in North Platte, Nebraska, to Don and Lydia (Guenthner) Armstrong. She was raised in Bridgewater, South Dakota, where she developed a lifelong love of things that grow. In Bridgewater, a 14-year-old Kay declared to her girlfriends that she would marry that “Jim Hannemann” boy.
Kay graduated from Bridgewater High School in 1957 and attended South Dakota State University. And having finally captured his attention, she married James Hannemann on June 14, 1959, at First Presbyterian Church in Bridgewater, South Dakota.
Kay and James later settled in Oakland Township, Michigan, where they raised their two daughters and built a home filled with faith, learning, and love. A woman of deep Christian faith, Kay was an active member of Abiding Presence Lutheran Church and later Historic Trinity Lutheran Church in Detroit. She also volunteered at the Rochester Hills Public Library, sharing her love of reading with others including her grandchildren.
Kay found joy in gardens, birds, flowers, books, and time spent with her grandchildren. As a keen observer of life’s little beauties, she was always quick to point out a beautiful bloom, an interesting cloud, and any bird nest she saw. She will be remembered for her kindness, creativity, playful wit, and deep love for family and faith.
Kay is survived by her children Pam (Tom) Caldwell and Heather Hannemann; grandchildren Meg, Emma, and Abby Caldwell; siblings Linda Armstrong, Patty Williams, Mark (Lisbeth) Armstrong; nieces and nephews Nancy Hannemann-Thomas, Keith (Peggy) Hannemann, Scott (Jane) Hannemann, Cathy (Ian) Rosenfeld, Emily (Andy) Richardson, Maggie (Stacey) Armstrong, and Marik Armstrong. Kay was predeceased by her parents, her husband James, and brother Bill Armstrong.
While the family is saddened by her loss, they are comforted by the Christian assurance that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
Visitation will be on Wednesday March 4, 2026, from 4:00-7:00 PM at Pixley Funeral Home, located at 322 University Drive, in downtown Rochester, Michigan. The funeral service will be held on Thursday March 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM (10am instate) at Historic Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 1345 Gratiot Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Interment will be at Bridgewater Cemetery, in Bridgewater South Dakota at a later date.
