Mark Oliver Armstrong

Mark Oliver Armstrong, age 64 passed away peacefully on April 28th, 2026 after a brief and fierce battle with renal cancer. His kindness, dry wit, keen sense of observation and breadth of knowledge on a wide array of topics will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Mark was born at Scripps Hospital in San Diego, CA on 10/31/61 to Anna Jane Oliver Armstrong-Ash and John Donald Armstrong. He was a Halloween baby and enjoyed that distinction over the course of his life – he always got to pick out a giant pumpkin and never got too old to carve one or celebrate the holiday. Mark often remarked how lucky he was to have a happy childhood, growing up in northern San Diego and exploring the many canyons in his neighborhood, often accompanied by a gang of elementary school buddies who remained dear friends over the course of his life. Outdoor life brought him huge satisfaction – from family summers in Lake Tahoe and backpacking in the Sierras to early morning surfing at Scripps and Torrey Pines beaches. Mark’s first car was a beloved VW bus, frequently used to transport him and his friends on memorable surf trips to Mexico. He embraced surf culture to the point of even walking across the stage of his Clairemont High School graduation barefoot.

After high school, Mark attended UCSD in La Jolla before transferring to UCLA to study fine arts and design. His keen sense of aesthetics combined with skillful artistry resulted in many pieces of art – from blown glass to ceramics – that are treasured by family and friends. While in college, Mark was willing to work any job that would help him continue his studies and live the life he loved, renting a house with friends close to the Venice boardwalk. His early work life was as lively and diverse as he was – from working as a holiday gift-wrapper at Bullock’ Department Store to delivering pizzas in his VW van across West L.A., he enjoyed the adventure of meeting a broad array of people, finding friendships in work and earning an honest living. At the end of his work day he’ always come home with an engaging story to share. His early life in Venice brought him great joy, and he remained there for over 30 years.

Upon graduating, Mark put his design skills to work in the fine art framing and installation business – a job that brought with it the opportunity to meet interesting artists from around the world, and an equal number of interesting art collectors across Los Angeles. But ultimately, Mark was eager to pursue work that provided more challenge and a chance to stretch his intellect. An encounter with the UCLA Financial Aid office – and the red tape that students had to contend with – led Mark to tell the office “People like you need to hire a person like me”…..and they did! That was the start of a long, groundbreaking career in developing software systems for Higher Education. From UCLA, Mark quickly advanced to becoming part of a team for the start-up Campus Solutions, which was then acquired by PeopleSoft. Mark first served as a Project Lead, then eventually as a Director of Higher Ed Product Development . When PeopleSoft was acquired by Oracle, Mark became the Vice President of Higher Ed Product Development. While the challenge of developing great software products was a driving force for Mark, more than anything he loved engaging with an incredibly diverse range of colleagues and customers. Respect and trust were hallmarks of Mark’s relationships with everyone he connected with. Mark had the rare gift of cultivating the best in each team member through his inspiration, creativity, and encouragement. His travels to work with colleagues in Australia, South Africa, Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil and many other locales brought adventure and deep satisfaction. He built lifelong relationships with many people who became friends, even after leaving Oracle to pursue development ventures with Campus Management, Chasing Higher Ed and Discourse Analytics, and enjoying consulting work with the Gates Foundation. Mark’s strategic thinking and perseverance resulted in innovative and influential products that provide the critical backbone for leading colleges and universities around the world.

Alongside his wife and best friend, Paz Centeno-Armstrong, Mark always made time for exploration, personal growth and family time. He and Paz travelled extensively. Some of their favorite adventures took them to the Great Barrier Reef, Patagonia, Costa Rica, Japan, Italy, Amsterdam and the Philippines. Mark could never pass by interesting artifacts when he was traveling. He took pride in being an amateur importer of fascinating – and very heavy – objects, often hand-carried through bemused airport security. Mark and Paz became accomplished cooks together, exploring international cuisine and holding wonderful dinner parties for friends and family. A lover of acerbic British television, world art and eclectic music, Mark built an extensive and carefully curated collection of books and beloved CDs. His creativity also found outlets in designing and renovating homes and restoring his favorite blue BMW 2002.

Mark was part of a large and loving family. His greatest joy was his marriage to Paz, who survives him alongside his mother Ann Armstrong-Ash, sisters Anna Armstrong & husband Richard Walker, Jennifer Armstrong & husband David Halpern, cousins Chris Armstrong & wife Kim Armstrong, Tim Armstrong, Lisa Armstrong & husband Nick Banning and cousins Sean Kelley and Jackie Baldwin, much-loved nieces Madeline & Emma Schroeder, nephews Mark, Jacob & Matthew Paulino, sister-in-law Beng Paulino, step-mother Yvette Armstrong, many dear cousins, aunts and uncles, friends and work colleagues who were like extended family.

Mark’ love of life, quiet strength and ability to always make others feel seen and cared for will never be forgotten. He will continue to be a bright light in the hearts and minds of all who were lucky enough to know and love him.

Memorial Info/Remembrances

If you would like to honor Mark’s memory, please support one of the following nonprofit organizations:

National Public Radio

https://www.npr.org/donations/support

Children's Cancer Research Fund

https://childrenscancer.org/?campaign=757591