THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 12, 1997 TAG: 9701120105
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GUY FRIDDELL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 29 lines
Molly, the beloved cat who reigned 13 years at Norfolk's Van Wyck Branch Library, died Saturday morning.
Hope had been that surgery, scheduled for Monday, would enable her to recover from injuries suffered when she was hit by a car five days ago.
While waiting Thursday for Molly to be examined by a veterinarian, library branch manager Sherry Clem held her in her arms, and she was heartened when Molly set to purring.
The cat, when placed on the floor to see if she could stand, even took a few steps toward Clem. But the trauma of her injuries proved too severe.
Clem said that Molly's friends are invited to write what they felt about her for binding in a book, ``Memoirs of Molly.'' A plaque and a marker commemorating her will be dedicated at a ceremony at the library at noon, Feb. 1.
``Thanks to the generosity of the community and the veterinarians who cared for Molly, many of the hospital expenses have been covered,'' she said.
Any contributions left over will be used to purchase books and stories about cats. Each will bear a bookplate with her name.
Visitors to the library Saturday found comfort in the thought that Molly had brought happiness to so many, Clem said. They also were relieved to hear that staff members of the Dog & Cat Hospital were at her side when she died.