John A. Armstead, loved to fish

JOHN ALBERT Armstead was the kind of guy people could always count on when it came to feeding the poor, comforting shut-ins, mentoring young people, fixing whatever was broken at his church, or frying up a mess of fish for family, friends and anyone else who wanted to partake of his culinary skills.

Although John could cook anything, fish was his specialty, at least partly because he loved to catch them - in fresh water, the ocean, aboard boats or from the land. Fishing was his passion.

John Armstead, longtime maintenance technician for the Philadelphia Quartz Corp., dedicated Boy Scout leader, Little League coach, and Army veteran of World War II, died Sunday.

He was 85 and lived in West Philadelphia.

He was born in Seldom, Va., to Andrew Armstead and the former Mary Demond.

He received his early education in the public schools of Gloucester County, Va., and joined the Army at the age of 20.

He served in the South Pacific, and after the war, moved to Philadelphia. He went to work for Philadelphia Quartz soon after his arrival, and advanced to a supervisory position.

He retired in 1993.

He married the former Virginia Dare Knox in 1946, and they had seven children. Virginia died in 2004.

John began his religious experience at the First Baptist Church of Gloucester County, Va. When he arrived in Philadelphia, he first joined the New Bethlehem Baptist Church, and, after moving to West Philadelphia, joined Tabernacle Lutheran.

He was a member of the church council, the board of trustees, the usher board and various other ministries.

Using his maintenance skills, he worked on the church building, boilers, whatever required fixing.

He was always available for anything the church needed.

"He opened and closed the church," said his oldest son, George. "He was very faithful."

John helped distribute food at local food banks, and called on family members and neighbors who were sick or shut-in, providing rides and whatever other help he could offer.

As a Scout leader, John served as district commissioner, district advancement chairman and troop committee chairman for Troop 186.

He coached the West Philadelphia Vikings Little League team, and was a volunteer at the Morris Sayre Recreation Center.

John probably inherited his passion for fishing from his late father, who built a 45-foot trawler to ply the ocean fishing grounds.

John fished streams and rivers, as far away as the Susquehanna, and traveled to Atlantic City to test his lures in the ocean.

He enjoyed cooking at church bazaars and other church events, and at backyard barbecues with family and friends.

John became fascinated with computers and took a course in their operation. He used his computer to design and print bulletins and other documents for his church.

He also had a passion for photography, and took his camera on Boy Scout excursions, family gatherings, and wherever else he could find a fitting subject for his lens.

"We have 19 rolls of film to develop," his son said. "There is also 8-mm film and slides, thrown everywhere. It's going to be a job organizing it all."

Besides his son, he is survived by three other sons, John, Reginald and Keith; three daughters, Brenda, Patricia and Annie; 13 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Saturday at Tabernacle Lutheran Church, 59th and Spruce streets. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Glenwood Memorial Gardens, Broomall. *