“Until today, I thought the world had taken enough from us this past year, but then I learned of the sudden passing of my dear friend, Commissioner Ken Armwood.  Ken, a prince of a man, was one of the first elected officials to step forward and offer his support, wisdom and powerful oratory to the very red county I was elected to lead.  For a while, he became our go-to key note elected at every Somerset event because we had so few of our own.  But he did so graciously and with his ever-present smile and infectious laugh.  He lit up every room into which he entered.  As recently as last year, he subbed in for a Black Caucus event on an hour’s notice when the Lt. Governor was unavailable.  He may have been Piscataway’s favorite son, but he was Somerset’s adopted son.  When Somerset started turning blue, Ken joked that he had become the forgotten man and wondered if we had revoked his honorary citizenship.  No, Ken.  You will forever be one of us, having earned your share in the successes you helped us achieve.  Although experience shows that none of us is irreplaceable, you have left a space in our hearts which will be hard to fill.  I guess that post-COVID bear hug you promised to share now belongs to the angels.  Godspeed.”