"Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" keyboardist and industrial engineer Bob Armstrong dies | Arts & Culture

MILFORD, OH (FOX19) - On Tuesday afternoon, December 27, 2011, Thomas Robert "Bob" Armstrong died peacefully at his Milford home at age 67.  Armstrong was the keyboardist for 1960's rock group The Casinos, then became an industrial engineer.

Bob Armstrong, also known as T-Bob, was born on May 12, 1944 and lived around the Cincinnati area all his life.  In his early days Armstrong was a musician and played the Hammond B3 organ.  One of his highlights was playing for The Casinos, who traveled and opened with The Beach Boys in the late 1960’s.  He also received a Gold Record with The Casinos for the song “Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye.” 

Armstrong continued his music passion and played locally over the decades.  He was a Professional Engineer and worked around Cincinnati and Dayton with his own and other electrical companies.  That passion led him to become an integral part of the Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee in the 1980’s.  He held two separate terms as the CCSBC President. 

During his recent term from 2007 – 2011, Armstrong coordinated the project “Bringing History to Light.”  The Committee has been working to raise $450,000 in donations to replace the lights on the John A. Roebling Bridge, a historic landmark, with new energy efficient “green” lighting system and create a maintenance fund.  In 2010 the committee was able to raise about $285,000 and the necklace lights were replaced as Phase 1.

Armstrong and his younger brother Mark spent a lot of their time in overseeing this project.  Unfortunately, Bob didn’t get to see the completion.   Phase 2 of the project, replacing the pier lighting on both towers, still needs funding to finish. 

He leaves his wife of 14 years, Brenda Spears Armstrong, a son, Thomas Robert Armstrong III, stepchildren Rhonda Cisco, Aarron Ellerman and his wife Amy, Sonya Myers and her husband Joe and 5 grandchildren. Bob Armstrong also leaves brothers Bill, Mark and Mike Armstrong, and sisters Elizabeth Smith and Barb Gallagher.  He was the son of the late Thomas Robert Armstrong Sr. and Jane Kuni Armstrong.   The family expresses thanks for the many prayers and support during Bob’s illness.

Visitation for Thomas Robert Armstrong II is Friday December 30, 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Nurre Funeral Home in Amelia. Funeral Mass will be Saturday December 31, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bernadette church in Amelia, Ohio.

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