Happy Birthday by Phone

Ned W. Armstrong, seventy-nine, has been helping members of the Hillcrest Fourth Ward, Orem Utah Hillcrest Stake, celebrate birthdays for the last five years. He faithfully calls every ward member, all 455 of them, to wish them happy birthday. Add to that list eight children, thirty grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, a brother, two sisters, and his wife, Amy, for a total of more than five hundred birthday salutations a year.

The practice has endeared Brother Armstrong to all the members of the ward. This year his birthday happened to fall on the day of the annual ward spaghetti dinner. Banners wishing him a happy birthday adorned the walls, and a rousing rendition of the song “Happy Birthday” greeted him as he entered the cultural hall. Everyone was glad to have the opportunity to thank the man who has done so much to strengthen the ward family.—Sheila Hiatt Cox, Orem, Utah