Armstead led with integrity, treated everyone with dignity

By Stephen Baldwin, RealWV

Adulation poured in all day yesterday for the late Tim Armstead. He deserves it all, and more. He was one of the good guys, who stood true to his word and treated people with dignity.

Some knew him as Justice Armstead, others as Delegate Armstead. To me, Tim Armstead will always be, “Mr. Speaker.” 

I first met him when he was Speaker of the House, and I was a brand new delegate. He was a Republican, and I was a Democrat. He was from Clendenin, and I was from Ronceverte. He was a seasoned veteran, and I was as green as a bean. 

In other words, I didn’t expect him to give me the time of day. But he was a gentleman who was good to me when he had no reason to be. He was a man of integrity, in a place and an office where that is as rare as it is difficult. 

We first bonded over flood relief. Both our districts had experienced a devastating flood in June 2016. He formed the Joint Committee on Flooding the very next legislative session, determined to put the state on a path to proactive flood resiliency. I had absolutely nothing to do with putting the committee together; I was brand new, and he had done the leg work before I took office. But he asked me and everyone else on the inaugural committee who was from an area affected by the great flood to be a co-sponsor. Then we worked together, visiting each other’s communities, trying to further rebuilding. 

That was how he operated. He was selfless, more interested in what was achieved than who got the credit. 

“Mr. Speaker” embodied the office he held. He served in a way that reflected being an officer for all the members, not just those in his party or those he agreed with politically. He upheld the rules. He maintained decorum. He made tough decisions. 

Above all, like many West Virginians, he loved his family. They were the apple of his eye. And as they grieve, I pray they know we grieve with them. We thank them for sharing “Mr. Speaker” with us. We celebrate his life and his public service. We are all better for it, having seen a better way to be principled in politics. 

Thanks be to God for the life, work, and example of Tim Armstead, “Mr. Speaker.”