CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Family and friends gathered Tuesday evening to honor the late West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Justice Tim Armstead.
A visitation and funeral service were held in the House of Delegates Chamber, where speakers shared memories of Armstead and reflected on the man he was.
Armstead, 60, passed away on August 26 after a battle with cancer.
Chief Justice Bill Wooten was one of the speakers during the funeral.
Wooten said that Armstead was a hard worker driven by his faith.
“He was a natural leader who always led by example, he was thoughtful, highly intelligent, and an extremely hard worker and in every decision was guided by Christian principals,” he said.
He was first appointed as a Justice in September 2018 by former Governor Jim Justice. In November of that year, he was elected to the seat, and in 2020, he was re-elected to a 12-year term.
During his time on the Court, he served twice as Chief Justice, in 2020 and 2023.
Armstead also served for 20 years in the House of Delegates. He was first appointed in 1998 by then-Governor Cecil Underwood to fill a vacant seat and went on to serve until 2018.
From 2007 to 2014, he served as Minority Leader. He then served as Speaker of the House from 2015 until his appointment to the Supreme Court of Appeals.
Friend and Intermediate Court of Appeals Judge Dan Greear shared several stories about his friendship with Armstead, including one about the time they ran a triathlon together in Charleston.
Greear said that it was Armstead’s faith that made him the man he was.
“Tim, first and foremost, was a genuine Christian whose faith produced a life characterized by those attributes, Tim’s life is an example to follow not only in having faith in Christ but allowing that faith to produce tangible results in your life,” he said.
Communications Director for the Supreme Court of Appeals Jared Hunt said when he first began working with Armstead, he had just lost his own father and looked up to Armstead in that manner.
He said Tim was a role model for everyone.
“He was just probably the most honest, ethical, greatest role model that you could have in government,” Hunt said during an appearance on MetroNews Midday Tuesday afternoon. “Because he was in it for all the right reasons, he wasn’t in it to get headlines, to get himself on the news at night, he was there to serve the people.”
Former Delegate and Senator Steven Harrison said that Armstead remained humble despite the many accolades he earned throughout his career.
“Despite those high offices and his historic achievements, Tim did not act like he was better than anyone, “Harrison said. “He would almost seem a little shy when he would came to an event, he’d give a little wave and talk to everyone in the room.”
Hunt said that Armstead had a way about him where he could cheer anyone up even if they were having a bad day.
“It was impossible to have a bad day around Tim Armstead, because he just had that disarming personality, if you were having a bad day, he had that quiet pleasantness where he could break any tension and it just made working for him an absolute joy,” he said.
Photo: Will Price, WV Legislature