William L. Armstrong Jr., Colorado Christian University president and a former U.S. senator from Colorado, died Tuesday following a five-year bout with cancer.
He was 79.
"Bill Armstrong displayed an uncommon vision for our times by adopting [CCU]’s strategic objectives at the beginning of his presidency , and went on to lead the university during a period of unprecedented growth," said Gary Armstrong, chairman of the Lakewood school's Board of Trustees. "His impact on the university will be felt for generations."
Armstrong had been president of CCU since August 2006. In February, he announced that he would retire from that role later this year.
A Republican, he served as a U.S. senator of Colorado from 1978 to 1990, where he was a member of the Senate Finance Committee, the Senate Banking Committee and the Senate Budget Committee.
Richard "Dick" Wadhams, a former Republican political consultant who worked for Armstrong for nine of the 12 years he served as U.S. senator, said Armstrong's win to that seat was particularly impressive given the time period when it happened.
"His election to the senate in 1978 came on the heels of ... an entire generation of Republican leadership being wiped out following the Watergate scandal," Wadhams said, referring to the 1970s break-in and attempted bugging of the Democratic party's headquarters and President Richard Nixon's cover-up of related wrongdoing in his administration.
"His victory ... was not only a big win in that election year, it was essentially the revival of the Republican party in the aftermath of Watergate," Wadhams added. "Anybody who served in public office for 28 years — and throw in the historical significance — those are the things that set him apart from a lot of other folks."
Prior to serving as U.S. senator, Armstrong was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1972 to 1978 and a member of the Colorado House of Representatives in 1963-64.
"For me personally, he was a friend, a mentor and a role model. I'll miss him terribly," said John Andrews, a distinguished fellow at CCU who had worked with Armstrong for seven years. "I've remained close to him. I am one of the countless 'adoring Armstrong alumni.' There's a deep sense of loss at CCU."
Armstrong was also a longtime Colorado businessman, working as director of six public companies and as chairman of Denver-based Oppenheimer Funds. Armstrong's family also owned the Colorado Springs Sun newspaper in the mid-1970s and owned radio stations in the 1960s here.
Armstrong had been an active leader in Colorado's Republican parties for decades. Last year, he publicly expressed doubts that Donald Trump had the temperament to be president of the United States.
"Our nation lost a great public servant, whose mark on Colorado and this country embodies the virtues of liberty, faith and family," said Sen. Cory Gardner in a statement. "His booming voice, piercing gaze and love of fellow patriots will never be forgotten. So many people in Colorado were brought to conservative ideas and optimism through Senator Armstrong."
“Following his many years in public service, he devoted his time to educating and supporting the next generation as president of Colorado Christian University," said Sen. Michael Bennet in a statement. "He had a deep respect for democracy and our country’s future. That respect shall endure the test of time."
The Becket Fund, a nonprofit law firm that focuses on freedom of religion, said Armstrong was a "vigorous defender of religious liberty."
"As a United States Senator he sponsored crucial legislation protecting the rights of religious organizations," the organization said in a statement. "As the president of Colorado Christian University he was among the first to challenge government efforts to force employers to provide healthcare plans that violated their religious convictions."
The Western Conservative Summit, which just wrapped up in Denver on July 1-3, featured a video tribute to Armstrong that showcased his life and career.
Armstrong is survived by his wife, Ellen, two children and eight grandchildren. He was born in Fremont, Nebraska on March 16, 1937.
“Bill's passing is a great loss not only for our university, but also for our country," Gary Armstrong said.
A funeral service will be held at Cherry Hills Community Church on Friday, July 15, at 10:30 a.m.
CCU has established a website to honor Armstrong's life and legacy.
"We don’t think the greatest leaders are those who shout the loudest or swagger the most or own private airplanes ... but at the end of the day, or of the fiscal year, or at the end of life, there’s a lot of things more important than what [money] you made," Armstrong said in a 2009 Denver Business Journal interview.
"We need to rekindle the ideals of honor, integrity, truthfulness and service — and these are not things government can impose; they have to come from within people," he said.