Delhi News Bureau

Former Andes Mayor Walter E. Armstrong, 79, died Saturday, three days after his daughter-in-law was killed in an accident as she and his son were headed to Andes to spend time with him.

Irene Armstrong said her oldest son, Michael, a former professional baseball player who lives in Halifax, Va., was driving north with his wife, Diane, and two daughters when they were involved in a head-on accident just 40 miles from their home.

Three people were killed in the March 13 accident when two vans collided head-on as one van was passing a tractor trailer, according Richmond Times-Dispatch in Richmond, Va.

Irene Armstrong said Diane F. Armstrong, 47, died in the accident. Michael Armstrong, 48, is still in the hospital, one of their children is in the hospital in critical condition and the other child wasn't injured, she said.

Irene Armstrong said she left her husband's side to go to Virginia following the accident. Her husband died while she was with her son and his family.

The former mayor was remembered by colleagues as a good man who was knowledgeable about many things.

Walter Armstrong was born in Andes and eventually moved to Sea Cliff, Long Island, after he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He and his wife had five sons.

Irene Armstrong said it is faith that is getting the family through this difficult time.

Irene Armstrong said her husband was a jack of all trades, who could do everything from engineering, to carpentry, stonework or anything else he set his mind to. But he loved baseball and passed that love onto his sons, she said.

Michael started his professional baseball career in 1980 pitching for the San Diego Padres, he then moved to the Kansas City Royals in 1982 and then played for the New York Yankees in 1984, wearing No. 36, before moving on to the Cleveland Indians. His baseball career ended in 1987.

Walter and Irene Armstrong moved back to Andes in 1983 and soon after he became active in local government, serving first as a trustee and then mayor. He served until March 2001.

Andes Trustee Ronald Guichard said, "Walter was a Renaissance man. He was well versed in almost anything. He was even a water witch, a dowser, he could use a diving rod and that's how we used to find the village water lines."

Guichard said Armstrong had a long and varied career, doing things as wide ranging as being the first manager of the theater in the round at the Mayflower Hotel in New York City, to crewing on yachts in early races.

"He was deeply, spiritually calm," Guichard said. "He was quite a visionary and I am going to miss him dearly. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He was one great guy."

Andes Mayor Eugene McCarty served as a village trustee during Armstrong's tenure as mayor.

"I would say we had a good working relationship and we were close personal friends," McCarty said. "He was a very good man and a capable man who could get things done. Because of his history in Andes, he was particularly well-suited to dealing with problems that are endemic to this area."

Armstrong was honored by the Andes Chamber of Commerce in May and was presented with a plaque thanking him for all he had done for the community, Guichard said.

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Patricia Breakey can be reached at (607) 746-2894 or at pbreakey@thedailystar.com.