Reception Held for Retiring Aide
By JOSELYN KINGArticle Photos
Friends, family, co-workers and happy constituents turned out Friday to wish local congressional aide Cathy Abraham the best of luck in her retirement after 22 years with U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan.
Meanwhile, the office of Mollohan, D-W.Va., is seeking someone to fill her white pumps in the office beginning Monday.
A reception to honor Abraham's service took place Friday outside Mollohan's office at the Federal Building in downtown Wheeling.
"She's kind, courteous, efficient and dependable," said Delegate Mike Ferro, D-Marshall. "And I could go on. She's an unbelievable lady who has always done things in a ladylike fashion."
Abraham's co-worker continued the thought.
"She's elegant, gracious and classy," said Colleen McCarty, chief of staff for Mollohan. "How can you teach that?"
Many others came to thank Abraham for the help she provided to them during her more than two decades of service.
"I've been here 22 years and three months," Abraham reported. "I have no idea where it all went. But it's been a great deal of fun, and I'm going to miss it. It's a bittersweet decision, but I know every good thing comes to an end."
She noted that her three children and their families live outside West Virginia.
"I need to pay attention to them, and maybe do some things for me," Abraham said, adding that traveling and art projects will be filling her time.
She also promises to stay visible in the area, working for the local Democratic parties and "still being a conduit" for Mollohan whenever needed.
"I want to do some fun things and see what it's like to have my own schedule," Abraham said.
Among those present Friday for Abraham's reception was state Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, still mourning the recent passing of his mother.
"Cathy came to my mother's funeral," Bowman said. "When she did that, I knew I had to be here for this."
Jim Greene spoke of how Abraham and Mollohan helped as he sought to have his sister, Rita, moved from a Washington, D.C., hospital to a local one.Greene said Rita had lain in a vegetative state for 45 years, and that he spent eight years "trying to bring her home."
"I would not have been able to do it without the help of Cathy and Congressman Mollohan," he commented.
Mollohan had intended to be present in Wheeling Friday for Abraham's reception, but congressional votes and work in Washington kept him from attending.
McCarty, however, did make the trip from Washington to wish her colleague well. McCarty is herself a long-time Mollohan employee, and she said she has known Abraham "since day one."
McCarty acknowledged it would be hard to find someone with Abraham's talent for dealing with people.
Betsy Frohnapfel, the administrator for the Marshall County Commission, was to succeed Abraham as Mollohan's new area representative and began the job earlier this week.
But on Wednesday, she informed Mollohan she wished to step down.
That will leave the Wheeling office empty, but only for a short period of time, according to McCarty.
Mollohan has approached someone about the job, and negotiations are currently ongoing, she said.
In the interim, those needing to contact someone in the Wheeling office should leave a phone message at 304-232-5390 beginning Monday. These messages will be checked every half hour.
McCarty said constituents also are welcome to call Mollohan's Washington office at 202-225-4172 for assistance.
"Everybody brings their own strengths to the job," she noted. "Whatever those strengths are, the job can be tweaked to enhance those strengths."
Abraham acknowledged that the new aid will bring a different perspective to the office.
"But this job was just what I needed," she said. "My talents may have been what made it work."
