Paul J. Armstrong, at 70

Paul J. Armstrong, of Hull, an internationally-respected businessman, family man, and musician with a long history of success in both fields, died on April 20, 2026 after a seven month-long battle with neuroendocrine prostate cancer. He was 70.

He was predeceased by his parents, John and Betty Armstrong, who instilled in him the values of hard work, resilience, and dedication to family. In 1961, when Paul was five years old, the family immigrated to East Syracuse, New York from Nuneaton, England, beginning a new chapter that would shape the course of his life and legacy.

His parents founded Armstrong Mold in 1968 in East Syracuse as a small “Mom and Pop” shop making molds. During the next three decades, it grew into a vertically-integrated and recognized leader in this industry, producing complex castings and plastic parts, serving many areas that include military, aerospace, medical, automotive. Due in large part to Paul’s efforts, the company grew exponentially. By the ’90s, Armstrong Mold had grown to become a multi-million dollar company employing more than 200 people.

Paul’s participation in the family business took a circuitous route, due to his passion for rock ’n’ roll. A 1973 graduate of East Syracuse-Minoa High School, he then enrolled at Rochester Institute of Technology. After 3-1/2 years and just shy of a degree, he left R.I.T. to work at Gerber Music, a record store in Syracuse. He said it was a decision he never regretted because there he connected with like-minded friends and, in 1977, founded the New Wave/Power Pop band, The Flashcubes. The band succeeded in large part due to Paul’s energy and charisma onstage and to his tireless drive and business acumen offstage. The quartet toured throughout the Northeast and released several singles, but disbanded in 1979. Paul then founded the trio 1.4.5. and relocated to Boston in 1982. Throughout his life, Paul continued to perform and record, with numerous appearances at music festivals all over the world, including two tours of Japan with the Flashcubes, who had reunited in the mid-’90s. In 2014, The Flashcubes were inducted into the SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music) Hall of Fame and, in 2019, into the Power Pop Hall of Fame. They were celebrated in 2025 with a tribute album featuring many of their peers and heroes performing their songs, something of which Paul was very proud.

Despite his passion for – and success in – music, the lure to join his family’s business beckoned. In 1988, he became a full-time employee while still living in Boston. He was the face of the company as director of marketing, traveling all over the country and Europe to attend and exhibit at numerous engineering and design shows. Here, Paul would also conduct technical seminars to explain and educate people in the industry about what Armstrong Mold could offer for solutions to their projects. Paul was a true visionary on presenting, educating, and branding the Armstrong name. At the time of his passing, he was the VP/Director of Sales and Marketing. Paul took great pride in his work and in continuing the legacy of his parents. His primary focus was always his family. He is survived by his three children, Christopher, Katharine, and Nicholas from his marriage to Sharon Armstrong, and by his stepson, Gregory Grevelding. He shared his later years with Marjorie Finer, his longtime companion to the end. He was the devoted brother of Peter Armstrong (Denise) and proud uncle of his nieces and nephews.

Paul was always a huge sports fan, supporting his beloved Boston teams. His passion for sports was one of the drivers for him to move to Boston. Paul was a Patriots and Celtics season ticket holder for many years. But, in later life, true to his British roots, he became obsessed with soccer – or, English football as it is correctly known – cheering on his favorite team, Aston Villa.

Paul raised his family in Sharon and was a devoted father, actively involved in every part of their lives. Whether it was through sports, school events, or everyday moments, he always made family his greatest priority. Through his dedication to coaching, Paul became a familiar and respected presence throughout the Sharon community. His mission was simple: to share his love of sports while creating equal opportunities for every athlete, regardless of skill level. For many years Paul served as the coordinator of the recreational basketball program and coached youth baseball, always committed to making teams fair, balanced, and inclusive. He created a special tradition of saving baseballs at the end of each season to recognize athletes for their best plays and memorable moments.

Over the years, Paul was also a constant source of support and encouragement in Katie’s journey building the UMass Boston Cheerleading program. Katie dedicates her 2025 national championship victory to her father, whose passion for coaching, commitment to equality, and belief in every athlete inspired her to follow in his footsteps.

Paul could often be found in his basement enjoying his vast collections of records, music books, guitars, and amplifiers. Other passions were supporting his many Boston friends in their musical endeavors or simply enjoying time with his family. Paul resided full-time in Hull for his last 10 years. A typical Pisces, he loved nothing better than walking on Nantasket Beach, soaking up the sun, and doing the back float while riding the waves. He also relished boating on the bay and got his captain’s license to join Freedom Boat Club last year. Paul was often described as an “Energizer Bunny” – always on the move, working, traveling, performing, and staying connected with friends and community.

Paul will be remembered for his intelligence, bright spirit, one-of-a-kind sense of humor, and his rock ’n’ roll heart. He was selfless and fully committed to his children, who are forever grateful for how he encouraged them to be the best version of themselves. He will be deeply missed for his tireless energy, positive attitude, and the strength he displayed to the very end.

His family expresses gratitude to the doctors, nurses and caregivers who helped Paul through the last stage of his life. In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Paul Armstrong may be made to TeachRock (https://teachrock.org/donate/) or to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to support cancer research and patient care (dana-farber.org/gift).

Visiting hours will be held on May 30 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at McDonald Keohane Funeral Home, 40 Sea Street, Weymouth. In Central New York, visiting hours will be held on June 13 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Eaton-Tubbs Funeral Home, 7191 E Genesee Street, Fayetteville.

A memorial concert in Paul’s honor will be held in Syracuse in the fall.