Betty Armstrong honored at gathering

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SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR The Youngstown Alumni Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. recently gathered at Holiday Inn in Boardman to pay tribute to Betty Wanda Juanita (Greene) Armstrong, seated. Committee chairman, Willard Boyd, standing, delivered the tribute. Representatives of many of the organizations she served attended the event, as well as family and friends.

Staff report

BOARDMAN

Youngstown Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. gathered June 11 at Holiday Inn in Boardman to pay tribute to Betty Wanda Juanita (Greene) Armstrong.

During the program, two scholarships were awarded to Destinee S. McCarty, a graduate of Warren G. Harding High School, and Dana D. Penson, a graduate of Chaney. The Dr. Herbert L. Armstrong Memorial Scholarship is named in honor of Mrs. Armstrong’s late husband, a life-member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and the first black principal in the Youngstown City School District.

A native of Youngstown, Mrs. Armstrong was the eldest of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Homer Lee Greene Sr. She graduated from The Rayen School in 1946 and from Youngstown College, now Youngstown State University, in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in history. She received a master’s degree in library science from Western Reserve University, now Case Western Reserve.

While attending Youngstown College in 1946, she was chosen as the Sweetheart of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and married Herbert Louis Armstrong, a distinguished member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., on July 31, 1955. He died Feb. 21, 2007.

Mrs. Armstrong worked as a librarian at Youngstown College and was its periodicals librarian for two years. She was hired in 1953 by the Public Library System for Youngstown and Mahoning County and retired March 31, 1986.

Mrs. Armstrong was a charter member and past president of the Youngstown Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a charter member of Youngstown Chapter of the Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, member and past president of Youngstown Links Inc. and former member of The Links’ Central Area Nominating Committee. She was honored as a platinum member of Links Inc. in 2015.

A member of the American Association of University Women for more than 50 years, she also is a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, official of the Beta Rho Boule of Sigma Phi Fraternity and life member of the Public Employee Retirement System, Chapter 18, where she served on its executive committee, was vice president and membership chairman.

Mrs. Armstrong was a member of Sunday Afternoon Bridge Club, Socialite Bridge Club and All God’s Children Collector’s Club. She and her husband were members of the Town Club Investment Corp.

In 2013, she served on the Booker Project in honor of Simeon Booker, a civil rights and political activist of Ebony and Jet magazines; has been honored with a portrait, Highlights in Black, sponsored by the Junior Civic League, Links and Junior League of Youngstown, that is displayed at the Butler Museum of American Art; and was honored by Black Women of Prominence by Price Memorial AME Zion Church.

Mrs. Armstrong is a member of St. Augustine Episcopal Church in Youngstown.

Her family and close friends attended the celebration. Others in attendance were members of The Links Inc., alumni chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Representatives from the National Council of Negro Women, Junior Civic League, Roberts’ Deliberating Club and co-workers from Youngstown and Mahoning County Public Library System also attended.