| Graduation Year | Class of 1966 |
| Date of Passing | Mar 29, 2023 |
| About | Jerry Wayne Armentrout, Sr., 76, of Wise, Va., passed away Wednesday, March 29, 2023. He was born Aug. 22, 1946 in Tazewell County, Va., to James William "Bill" Armentrout and Margaret Kent Hurt Smart Armentrout. Jerry graduated from Graham High School in Bluefield, Va., Class of 1966. He was a motorcycle enthusiast who loved riding his Harley every opportunity he could. He was able to visit all 48 continental states riding his bike. He was an avid NASCAR fan, whose favortie driver was Jeff Gordon. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing and spending time with his family. Jerry retired from the Department of Corrections with 38 years of service. He began his career in 1974 as a corrections officer with Powhatan Correctional Center and was instrumental in opening the "old" Deep Meadow Correctional Center. He moved to Nottoway Correctional Center as the first Chief of Security and assisted in opening that facility. He also served the Department in positions at Virginia State Penitentiary, James River Correctional Center, Augusta Correctional Center, Marion Correctional Treatment Center, Botetourt Correctional Center, Pocahontas Correctional Center and Keen Mountain Correctional Center, where he served as Assistant Warden. He served approximately 9 years as Assistant Warden at Red Onion State Prison. In February 2007, Jerry was appointed as Superintendent of Wise Correctional Unit #18 until his retirement in February 2013. During his career, Jerry assisted with security, staffling and overtime issues and served as a mentor to all. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved son, J. R. (Jerry Wayne, Jr.) whom he cherished and Babybop; his step mother, Idella Armentrout; his brothers, Robert Armentrout and Charles Armentrout and sisters, Patricia Armentrout Bozeman and Larry Jane Smart Shrader. Surviving are his wife of 32 years, Alma Gregory Armentrout; stepson, Bill Mitchell and wife Roxanne of Churchville, his special boy, Jacob Thomas, at home; grandson, Adam Mitchell of Staunton, Va.; brother Jim Armentrout and wife Hortence of Athens, Ga.,sister in law, Jean Armentrout of SC., special niece, LInda Schrader Boothe Pleasants Bickley (Donnie) of Gum Springs, Va., grand nephew, Carl Boothe (Autumn) of Ga., Melissa Boothe Vandyke of Goochland, Va., former wife, Hazel Boothe-Brown; his favorite sister in lay, Debbie Gregory of Craigsville, Va., (this was a joke between the two of them that they had shared for years): brothers in law, Buford (Beverly) Gregory of Stuarts Draft, Va., Kenneth Gregory of Craigsville, Va., and Ralph (Patricia) Gregory of Titusville, Fl., sister in law, Shirley (Billy) Denton of Lynchburg, Va., and a host of relatives and friends. |
