Emilie Holroyd and Senator Robert Byrd

by: wvblueguy

Tue Mar 31, 2009 at 17:41:58 PM EDT

 I know that Carnacki posted a diary about Emilie Holroyd earlier today, but I wanted to take this opportunity to talk about her in my own words.  Carnacki's post can be seen by clicking here. 

I first became active in Mercer County Democratic politics in 2006 during the House and Senate campaigns, and really have to thank Emilie Holroyd for making it possible for me to quickly become involved in the local and state scene.  It was Emilie who introduced me to Marie Presioso who made it possible for me to be introduced to Howard Dean at a rally in Charleston that year.  She became a guiding light in helping not only myself but other progressives in the county to form our local state pac that has become a very active group working for local and state candidates.  Emilie never had a problem sharing her vast knowledge of the ins and outs of party politics, and worked as hard as she could to insure that Democrats got elected even after it became difficult for her to get around without assistance.

I can't think of a party event either here in Mercer County or in Charleston that I was involved in that Emilie didn't attend.  As the picture above illustrates Senator Byrd meant everything he said about Emilie in today's story in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph cited by Carnacki.

She never tired of telling us stories of past campaigns in particular traveling with the Kennedy's during the 1960 election here in West Virginia. She and her husband Bob got to travel and work directly with JFK and his brothers during the historic campaign in West Virginia.  Emily worked in the field with the McGovern campaign in 1972 as well traveling to various parts of the country to do all she could to get the job done.  

All of us here in Mercer County will miss her immensely she was a good friend and advisor.  I pass on my deepest sympathy to her family and loved ones. Her loss is a shock to all of us in the Mercer County Democratic Party organization.