Jay Earl Armstrong

b. 1 July 1924, d. 3 September 2006
  • The following appeared in The Post: Harold Cleghorn of Yorkshire, has been notified that his nephew, Cpl. Jay E. Armstrong of the Engineers, was seriously wounded on D-Day in France. No other information is avaiable at present.
  • Jay Earl Armstrong was born on 1 July 1924 in Ceres, McKean County, Pennsylvania.
  • Frank William Smith appeared in the US federal census of 1 April 1930 in Shinglehouse, Potter County, Pennsylvania. Other members of the household included Jay Earl Armstrong, Gertrude Millicent Cleghorn, Abbie M. Armstrong and James Albert Armstrong. Gertrude Armstrong, employed as housekeeper by widowed blacksmith Frank Smith, boarding in his household with her six children.
  • Jay Earl Armstrong was adopted by his uncle and aunt Harold and Frances Osgood Cleghorn.
  • He married Louise C. Unger on 11 December 1946.
  • The following appeared on 20 March 1968 in the Schenectady Gazette: Mr. and Mrs. Jay E. Armstrong of Sardinia have announced the engagement of their daughter, Carolyn, to PO 3.C. Bruce H. Abbott of the U.S. Navy, son of Mrs. Helene Abbott of Delanson and the late Byron Abbott.
         A summer wedding is planned.
  • The following appeared on 9 February 1972 in The Patriot & Free Press: Gertrude Cleghorn Smith, 84, of 9 Pelton Court, died in Cuba Memorial Hospital Saturday, February 5, 1972, following a long illness.
         Born Jan. 25, 1888 in Lewiston, she was a daughter of John. C. and Barbara Stahle Cleghorn, and had lived in Cuba 22 years. In 1931 she was married to Frank W. Smith, who survives.
         Also surviving are six sons, Warren B. Armstrong, Wooster, Ohio, Laurence A. Armstrong of Canisteo, Robert Armstrong of Clermont, Pa., James Armstrong of Staunton, Va., Jay E. Armstrong of Cuba, and Joseph F. Smith of Delevan; six daughters, Mrs. Moeton Grossman of Los Angeles, Mrs. Earl Troupe of Dallas, Tex., Mrs. Joseph Lyden of Petersburg, Va., Mrs. Leslie Wakefield of Falls Church, Va., Mrs. Grover Moore of Hialeah, Fla., Mrs. William Ingalls of Cuba; a step--daughter, Mrs. Charles Wilson of Warren, Pa.
         Also two sisters, Mrs. Montie Fainer of Los Angeles and Mrs. Hugh Barber of Black Creek; two brothers, Harold J. Cleghorn of Delevan and Robert B. Cleghorn of Clarksburg, [W.] Va; and 48 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
         Funeral services Tuesday at the Voorhees Funeral Homer were conducted by the Rev. Alan Merrill, pastor of the Independent Congregational Church of Black Creek. Burial was in Cuba Cemetery.
         Memorials may be made to Cuba Memorial Hospital Inc.
  • Jay Earl Armstrong became a widower at the 14 April 2002 death of his wife Louise C. Unger.
  • Jay Earl Armstrong died on 3 September 2006 at age 82 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, at Erie County Medical Center.
  • He was interred at White Cemetery, Rushford, Allegany County, New York.
  • The following appeared on 5 September 2006 in The Daily News: (Caneadea) Jay E. Armstrong, 82, of Freeborn Road, a former featherweight Golden Gloves boxing champion, died Sunday (Sept. 3, 2006) in Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo.
         He was born July 1, 1924, in Ceres, Pa., one of 14 children of the late Foster J. and Gertrude Cleghorn Armstrong. He was adopted by the late Harold and Frances Osgood Cleghorn. He married Louise Unger on Dec. 11, 1946. She died April 14, 2002.
         Prior to retirement, he was a millwright for Bethlehem Steel in Lackawanna, logged and bought timber for O'Dell/Eddy Co., and sold real estate for Pierce and Cash. He pursued a lifelong career in real estate development and sales. He had a strong interest in reading, music, foreign languages and world events. His love for harmonica playing was well known by family and friends.
         He was known as the "Lumber Jack" of Yorkshire and was a featherweight Golden Gloves champion in 1942. He was a World War II veteran, having served in Normandy, northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe. He received the Distinguished Unit Badge, Bronze Arrowhead D-Day, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal and European African Middle Eastern Service Medal. He was a member of the Sardinia and Caneadea United Methodist churches.
         Surviving are his children, Carolyn Abbott of Belfast, Sharon (Richard) Cummings of Hertford, N.C., James Armstrong of Troy, Kathleen (Robert Cummins) Schumann of Friendship, David (Peggy) Armstrong of Cuba, Genevieve Cox of Belfast and John (Lanor) Armstrong of Orchard Park; 19 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; a sister, Lois (the late Les) Wakefield of Washington, D.C; two brothers, Robert (Rena) Armstrong of Mt. Jewett, Pa., and Joseph (Sue) Smith of Farmersville; several nieces and nephews.
         In addition to his wife, parents and adoptive parents, he was predeceased by his brothers and sisters, Lawrence, Warren, John, James and Genevieve Armstrong, Dorothy Grossman, Barbara Lyden, Gertrude Moore, Constance Ingalls and Abbie Troupe.
         Family and friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Kopler-Williams Funeral Home, 21 North Genesee St., Fillmore. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Caneadea United Methodist Church with the Rev. Keith Manry, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in White Cemetery, Rushford.
         Memorials may be made to Caneadea United Methodist Church or Caneadea Historical Society.
  • Last Edited: 13 Feb 2014

Family: Louise C. Unger d. 14 April 2002