Just like the 76 trombones in "The Music Man," Martins Ferry icon Russell Kenneth Armstrong led the big parade for more than 50 years. Armstrong, the former high school band director and third-ward city councilman, died Monday, December 7, 2015 at the age 76, after a battle with cancer. Armstrong resided in Martins Ferry with his wife, Suzanne and their dachshund dog, Amos. The couple has two daughters, Stacy, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Cory, of Plano, Texas. The lifelong trombone player and musician was born on Nov. 17, 1939, in Martins Ferry, to Kenneth C. and Ursula "Erla" J. (Hardesty) Armstrong. He graduated from Martins Ferry High School in 1957. He attended Capital University and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in music education from Ashland University, along with a master of arts in school administration from the University of Detroit. While in college, he was a member of the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity. He worked in high school music in the Ohio Valley for 54 years. From 1961 to 1991,"Mr. A"served as the band director and music coordinator at Martins Ferry High School. After retiring, he worked part-time at several local band camps and then worked as assistant director of Buckeye Local High School Band from 1995-2014. "There are kids everyone in the Ohio Valley who have had the 'Mr. A' band experience. His impact has been huge," said Bill Stephens, director of the Buckeye Local marching band and a longtime friend of Armstrong. While at MFHS, Armstrong created the famed script "MF" formation for the band and adopted Henry Mancini's "The Swing March" as an informal fight song for the school. He served as director of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference All-Star Band in 1985, when both daughters participated, and assisted four other times during his career. "So many of us band directors are band directors because of him," Stephens said. "He inspired us in his very special Russ Armstrong way." Armstrong was a lifetime member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Ohio Retired Teachers Association. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Martins Ferry, the MF Lions Club, the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio. The boating enthusiast owned three boats (Rascal I, II and III), was a member and former commodore of the Martins Ferry Yacht Club for more than 20 years. He was first appointed as a third-ward council member in 2007 and then elected to five consecutive terms. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Suzanne (Hutter) Armstrong, daughters, Cory (Sharon Baldinelli) Armstrong, of Plano, TX and Stacy (Bruce) Woods of Scottsdale, AZ along with grandchildren Eric and Claire Woods. Family and friends will be received at Heslop Funeral Home, 415 Walnut St., Martins Ferry, OH, Wednesday 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, December 10, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Martins Ferry with Rev. Tom Marut officiating. Burial follows in Holly Memorial Gardens, Pleasant Grove, OH. Wake services will be held Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to: St. Mary's Catholic Church, 20 N. 4th St., Martins Ferry, OH 43935 or Liza's Place, Valley Hospice South, 308 Mount St. Joseph Rd., Wheeling, WV 26003. Condolences to the family may be made by signing the guest book below.

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