On Valentine’s Day, everyone's attention turns to love. But love is always present for Eddie and Ellen Armstrong of Alvarado, who have been married more than 70 years.
The couple met back when Ellen was just a teenager. At the time, Eddie worked for Ellen’s mother on her 1,000-acre ranch in Olney, Texas. Eddie began dating the boss’s daughter shortly after meeting her. Ellen was 18, and Eddie was 19.
Mr. Armstrong was drafted into the Army during World War II and served two years overseas, while Mrs. Armstrong stayed in Texas and worked as a nurse.
After the war, Mr. Armstrong returned home to begin his new job as a welder, while Mrs. Armstrong stayed at home with the children. “The Lord gave us five wonderful children. Each one of them has made us very proud parents,” said Mrs. Armstrong. The Armstrongs are blessed with 16 grandchildren and many great grandchildren, who keep them busy these days.
The Armstrongs credit their children's success to raising them in a Christian home. Church has always been a big part of Mrs. Armstrong’s life. Unlike Ellen, Eddie had not been raised going to church. “I was the nicest Christian girl he’d ever met,” jokes Mrs. Armstrong. Once they married, Eddie joined the church and has been by Ellen’s side ever since.
The couple has had their share of life’s challenges, including the Great Depression, World War II and the death of two of their children, but they have always been there for each other. They are each other’s rock and support system.
Another challenge they have faced is the reality of aging. Both of them admit they move more slowly these days, and Mrs. Armstrong suffers from a chronic heart condition. She was a patient of Huguley Home Health agency recently until her health stabilized.
Mr. Armstrong celebrated his 91st birthday this week, and Mrs. Armstrong cooked him a big birthday dinner. According to Mr. Armstrong, “She is the greatest cook in the world. That’s why I’ve stayed with her for all these years.”
Mr. Armstrong stopped joking to explain his perspective on staying married for 70 years. “There are hard days and there are easy days, but you have to work through them and remember to be kind, patient and respectful to one another.”
Eddie and Ellen Armstrong are proof that love really can last a lifetime.