William Burrus Armstrong III, better known as Bill, passed away on August 16, 2024 in Tulsa.

Bill was born on January 5, 1966 in McAlester, Oklahoma, and 11 months later he welcomed his dad home from Vietnam (by spitting up all over him). Bill and his parents were extremely close from that moment on. His childhood as an Army brat was a series of adventures, from camping and fishing in Alaska to exploring Roman ruins and witnessing a coup in Turkey, where he also played every sport the U.S. Department of Defense schools had to offer.

After the family returned to the U.S., Bill became a National Merit Scholar and graduated from Smith Cotton High School in Sedalia, Missouri. He attended the University of Tulsa, where he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, and went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University. He had a long career in the restaurant industry, as well as a master's degree in project management from Colorado Technical University.

Bill was an avid gamer – and a walking encyclopedia of game rules and lore – from Advanced D&D to Pathfinder and Shadowrun, and he was always willing to welcome and teach new players. When he wasn't gathered at the game table with friends, he also enjoyed PC gaming, especially Skyrim and World of Warships. He was also a lifelong sports fan, and no one could match his love for Oklahoma State University and the Dallas Cowboys (although he would root for the Kansas City Chiefs if the Cowboys weren't on the field). Bill read voraciously and especially loved Mercedes Lackey and The Lord of the Rings.

He traveled the world with his family, walking the Scottish Borders, touring the Yorkshire Dales of England, surviving twisty roads and wild boat rides in Ireland, exploring the battlefields of Normandy, and visiting the Netherlands.

From stories of his travels and childhood adventures, to fantasy adventures in gaming with friends, Bill was a natural storyteller. He had a sharp mind, with a knack for strategy and an uncanny facility with numbers. Bill had an even sharper sense of humor, but beneath the occasional snark, he was deeply kind and staunchly loyal to his friends. He never turned away a friend (or, frequently, even a stranger) in need of help, and he was a constant source of encouragement and advice.

Bill is survived by his parents, Bill and Roberta Armstrong of Stillwater, Oklahoma; his sister, Jamie Armstrong, a world traveler; and a small army of devoted friends.

Bill had a particular soft spot for cats; he doted on his "orange son" Ragnar, and his parents brought him a cat figurine from each of their trips. With that in mind, his family asks anyone who wants to honor his memory to contribute to Tiny Paws Kitten Rescue of Stillwater, Oklahoma (https://tinypawsok.org).