Emilie Norwood Holroyd

PRINCETON � Emilie Norwood Adams Holroyd of Princeton lived a lifetime of service, whether it was in national political campaigns or to raise money for her son's local Boy Scout troop or to wage a campaign with state and national officials for pellets to prevent raccoons from spreading rabies in Mercer and surrounding counties. A strong personality who possessed the ability to see needs and achieve solutions, Emilie existed in an aura of love, service to humanity and environment, leadership and good humor. She leaves a reputation as a national, state and local political leader, a champion for social causes, writer, historian and seeker of a better world. She was a fixture for many years in leadership in state Democratic politics. She earned a 20-year membership on the National Democratic Party's Executive Committee and served on the planning and operation committee for the National Democratic Convention in San Francisco in 1984 when Walter Mondale was nominated. She was a delegate to many national conventions, served her state Democratic Party and was vice chairman of the State Executive Committee. She applied her intelligence, abundant energy, common sense, strong leadership capabilities and a sincere belief in causes all aimed at improving life while performing the many tasks she undertook in her lifetime. Those distinguishing abilities and successes won many accolades while she lived and words of praise and regret at the loss of her brilliant and sparkling personality from national, state and local leaders this week after her death. A driving force for the Democratic party in West Virginia, Emilie was a community leader, a champion for education, an activist for libraries, and an advocate for human rights. She worked tirelessly addressing issues affecting everyone, from very young children to senior citizens. She fought to make life better for abused women and children, the financially needy and for those who felt the sting of prejudice or simply needed her expertise in conducting a political campaign, planting a flower or cooking a delicious meal. Popular and well-known to many people, she called her neighbors, poll workers and rural residents by name. She also had personal friendships with presidents and First Ladies, presidential candidates, Senators and Representatives, Governors, Legislators and a host of other national, state and local governmental and community leaders. Her abiding love was for her husband, family and friends, her community and its people. One of her special delights in life during the past 15 years was a column on cooking and food published in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. She was a graduate of The Greenbrier Cooking School and shared many of the cooking experiences and expertises with her readers. She was preparing her recipes to be published in a book when she became seriously ill. A friend, with the help of her family, will compile and publish the book in her memory.Emilie's life of love and dedicated service ended Monday, March 30, 2009, at Princeton Community Hospital after a lengthy confinement in CCU and following many heroic battles against illnesses during the past several years. She was born in Suffolk, Va. to loving parents, Emily Edwards Adams and William P. Adams, both now deceased.She was educated in schools in Ahoskie, N.C., where her family lived, until she entered St. Mary's in Raleigh, N.C., where she graduated from high school and completed two years of college. She then enrolled in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C. where she studied a variety of subjects but especially loved studies in English and journalism.She married her husband Bob, who was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, on Jan. 23, 1953, in Ahoskie. While in the Corps, the couple had a daughter. Upon leaving the service, the young family moved to Morgantown, where Bob graduated from the West Virginia School of Law and Emilie worked in a library. They moved to Princeton in 1958, where Bob began his law career and Emilie took her first serious steps into Democratic Party political activities.She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert E. Holroyd, a prominent Princeton lawyer who also has strong ties in national, state and local politics and government; three children, Elizabeth "B" Holroyd and husband, Forrest Covington of Chapel Hill, N.C., William Frank "Bill" Holroyd of Princeton, and Mary Jacqueline "Mary-Jacq" Holroyd and husband, Samuel Gardner of Princeton; four grandchildren, Emily Elizabeth "Bess" Dolin of Wilmington, N.C., Emma Hay Gardner of Marshall University, Huntington, Robert Allen "Bob" Gardner of Princeton, and Elizabeth Burney "B" Gardner of Princeton; a brother, William Pierman Adams Jr. and wife, Louise, of Winter Park, Fla.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, special friends and beloved pets.The funeral service will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Directory on Athens Road in Princeton with Father William Armstrong, pastor of Princeton Episcopal Church, serving as presiding minister. Graveside rites will follow at the Athens Cemetery in the Holroyd Family area. Pallbearers will be Lane Bailey, Mike Vincequerra, Senator Truman Chafin, Delegate John Shott, Delegate John Frazier, Dr. Dana Olson, Dr. Marshall Long, Mark Wills, Wayne Robinette and Dewey Russell. Honorary pallbearers will be Debbie McCormick, Kay Goodwin, Barbara Hawkins, Karen Disibbio, Elizabeth Osborne, Judge Margaret Workman, Ann "Dink" Stafford, Connie Shumate, Judge Mary Ellen Griffin and Sharon Rockefeller.Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at Memorial Funeral Directory. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Pam's Place at P.O. Box 1153, Princeton, WV, 24740. Emilie was the original organizer of the Pam Hawkins Foundation in 1986 which sponsored scholarships and later opened the safe haven for battered women and children and transitional housing program for families seeking an improved life situation and a family resource center in Princeton.In addition to her national and state political activities, Emilie was a former chairman of the Mercer County Democratic Executive Committee, represented the district in several executive committees, was elected as a female representative for Distrtict Two on the county committee for 20 years, and was a past president of both the Mercer County Democrats Club and the Mercer County Women's Democratic Club. She was serving as a member of the State Library Commission, appointed by Gov. Joe Manchin, at the time of her death.In the community, she was active for years in the Periwinkle Garden Club and was a past President of the local Garden Council, member of the Princeton Episcopal Church, was a member of the Princeton Library Advisory Board and served on the fund-raising committee for a new library. She was active in fundraising for organizations where her children and grandchildren participated including Boy Scouts, the Princeton Swim Team, and Princeton school activities.She was secretary of the Pam Hawkins Foundation, an organizing leader for the Pam Hawkins Walk-a-thon, participated in the Mercer County Drama Camp, both in directing with Lou Stoker and with preparation of meals, and participated in Summit Theatre plays years ago.For many years she organized voter turnout for the Mercer County Democrat Party and worked closely with past County Clerks by being responsible for providing competent poll workers. While she was a strong supporter of women taking their deserved roles in society, community, business and politics and government, she most valued her title of wife, mother and grandmother. She once told a friend when discussing national "women's lib" movements, "I'm as liberated as I