Roma Armbrust, an activist for Ormond Beach wetlands, died Friday at her home in Ventura of complications from pancreatic cancer, on the same day state conservation officials announced plans to buy the Ventura County wetlands she fought to protect.
Just three days before her death at age 76, Armbrust was honored for her activism by the Ventura County Board of Supervisors and the Oxnard City Council. On a previous occasion, she had also received a commendation from Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante.
Supervisors voted to place a commemorative sign reading “Roma Armbrust Wetlands Drive” on the part of Arnold Road that leads to Ormond Beach.
Roma Sarno Armbrust was born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents on Sept. 30, 1926. After receiving a bachelor’s degree from UCLA in 1948, Armbrust taught elementary school students.
In 1982, she and her husband, Bill Armbrust, moved to Ventura near the beach. She eventually became involved in the League of Women Voters, the National Women’s Political Caucus, Regional Civic Alliance of Ventura County, and the Ventura County Open Space District Advisory Committee.
Armbrust was one of the founders of the Ormond Beach Observers in 1989, and helped to organize and chaired the meetings of the Ormond Beach Task Force. In 2000, she and fellow environmentalist Jean Harris were invited to Washington, D.C. to receive National Wetlands Awards.
Along with her husband, Bill, Armbrust is survived by a son, Kurt; a daughter, Vikki; and grandchildren Kristina and Erick Armbrust, and Clayton and Cameron McCarter.
Armbrust had requested that there be no memorial and she donated her body to UCLA Medical Center. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the California Coastal Conservancy, 1330 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612-2530, designated for a special account set up for Ormond Beach land acquisition and restoration.