KINGWOOD — How do you celebrate your 104th birthday in a small town?
With the whole town, of course, even if it’s remotely. Thursday was Ruby Armstrong Day in Kingwood, as the Preston County town helped her celebrate her 104th birthday.
Because of the coronavirus, the community celebration had to be scaled back some, but Mayor Jean Guillot and Councilman Josh Fields took her a city proclamation passed by council, birthday card and good wishes.
“I think it’s just something nice that we could do for her. She’s an amazing lady,” Guillot said.
Armstrong started life in Bruceton Mills, one of two daughters born to Belva and Allen Loraw.
Long lives seem to run in the family. Her sister, who was seven years older, died about three years ago.
“The good Lord was just good to me,” Armstrong said. “I never smoked, and I never drank, and I always kept my doctor’s appointments and all. I do take an aspirin every day.”
Ruby married Gerald Armstrong, and they had two sons, William, who lives in Kingwood now, and Jay, who is in New Orleans.
The Armstrongs lived in Pittsburgh early in married life, then moved to Morgantown. Gerald, a construction worker, helped build many of the iconic structures at West Virginia University. Ruby worked at the university.
After her husband’s death, she moved to Kingwood to be closer to family. That family now includes four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was active in the community and until recent events was a regular at the senior center.
Armstrong celebrated her birthday at her son’s house in Kingwood, with dinner and birthday cake, then sitting outside in the summer evening.
“They’ve got a big yard, so we don’t have to be close,” she noted.
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