HOUSTON- Celebrated school nurse, Marlise (Weaver) Armstrong was born in  Newnan, Georgia to Rev. Seymour and Minnie Weaver. At age 8, she moved with her father to Houston  and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1950. After graduating from Dillard University in New Orleans, in 1955, she began her nursing career at M.D. Anderson where she worked for three years before joining the Houston Independent School District (HISD).

In 1979, she went back to school and graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a master’s in counseling and guidance. Beginning as a Hearing Nurse,  she worked at Langston and McDade Elementary, Kashmere and Terrell Jr. and Senior High School,  and M.C. Williams before being transferred in 1971 to Sam Houston High School, where she retired in 2002. Along the way, she worked for 13 years at Doctors Hospital as House Supervisor, received a Real Estate license and is a 25-year seasonal employee for H&R Block.

Armstrong was honored by HISD as Nurse of the Year in 1999.   She said that she saw her role as being a coach and an educator. She was particularly drawn to teenage girls. In addition to serving as a health information resource at school, she advised students in the Medical Careers Club which helped young people develop career paths and a dedication to community. A member of  Alpha Kappa Omega, Alpha Kappa Sorority,  and Alpha Kappa Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, she believes the most rewarding phase of school nursing was in knowing from the affirmations of students, parents, and peers that she had a beneficial impact on their lives.
Her husband Johnny died 19 years ago, and she is extremely proud of her brother, Dr. Seymour Weaver and his wife Tandelyn.
We salute Marlise Armstrong as this week’s Living Legend and invite you to send in who you think will make a good Living Legend and why they should be honored.