THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 29, 1995 TAG: 9501290084
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KERRY DOUGHERTY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Murray Malbon was feeling foolish Saturday morning.
The former City Council member had spent much of the week on the phone with Democrats, reminding them - no, cajoling them - to attend the recently reconstituted Saturday breakfast at Morrison's Cafeteria on Laskin Road.
What Malbon didn't know was that this weekend's breakfast was a surprise 80th birthday party - for him.
``Here I was encouraging people to come to this meeting today,'' he said with an embarrassed grin. ``They must have thought I was crazy.''
Not crazy. Just the same, dedicated Democratic party stalwart Malbon has been throughout his adult life.
Look up the history of the Democratic Party in Virginia Beach and Princess Anne County and two family names will predominate: the Kellams and the Malbons. The large families ran a two-pronged political dynasty.
Murray Malbon, insurance agent, bank official and former car dealer, is now considered the grand old man of the party.
``Murray is the one Democrat who has never stopped working for the party,'' said lawyer Judy Rosenblatt, who helped organize the surprise.
Virginia Beach Democrats have met every Saturday morning over coffee and eggs for as long as anyone in the party can remember. The tradition goes back to the early 1950s. The venue has changed several times, the cast has changed and many of the old-timers have died. But Murray Malbon always has been a regular.
Attendance at the weekly breakfast meetings fell to an all-time low this fall. By December, the meetings came to a halt, though several Democrats continued to gather in the party headquarters on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Malbon was determined that the tradition be revived in 1995.
``He took it upon himself to start calling people and the next thing you knew we had 60 people show up last week,'' Rosenblatt said. ``When I asked them why they were here, they all had the same answer: `Murray called me.' ''
Saturday's crowd numbered closer to 80, and included Rep. Owen Pickett, Sheriff Frank Drew, Mayor Meyera Oberndorf and written testimonials from Del. Glenn Croshaw and Lt. Gov. Don Beyer. ILLUSTRATION: MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Longtime Virginia Beach Democrat, Murray Malbon, left, received
accolades at Saturday's breakfast, by Sonny Stelling, right, and
other party members, for his commitment to the party and
contribution to revitalizing the traditional Democratic breakfast.
by CNB