The Baltimore SunHere is how Charlie Kelly imagined the scene at the pearly gates this week: William Donald Schaefer awaits entry as St. Peter goes over his list. Maybe his eyes are widening as he sees all the rude, bombastic things Schaefer has said over the years.
A diminutive woman who just passed through the gates interjects, "He really didn't mean all those things he said."
St. Peter continues down his list — it's a long one — and the woman starts to reconsider. "Maybe you're right," she says. "A little bit of purgatory might do him some good."
Pam Kelly was one of William Donald Schaefer's closest aides, from Baltimore's City Hall to the State House in Annapolis. She ran his Cabinet meetings, she managed his tantrums, she whispered election night intelligence in his ear.
And on Monday, she did one last piece of advance work for the former mayor and governor: Kelly, 66 and suffering from lung cancer, died four hours before Schaefer did.
"She probably was up there getting things ready for him," said her husband, Charlie.
Schaefer's circle, of which she was something of a social director, has been much in the news this week as they plan his memorial service and funeral next week. But to less public attention they have also been mourning the loss of the woman some considered Schaefer's right hand, someone whose counsel he trusted and who could be counted on to save him from himself.
3 comments:
Whatever happened to Hilda Mae Snoops? She was always referred to as Schaefer's "long-time companion".
Hilda died about 10 yrs ago.
Hilda was more the Mayor's companion whereas this lady was an aide. The Mayor made Hilda the official hostess of the governor's mansion when he became governor. Hilda planted a garden and when the Mayor's term was up as govenor and Glendening was elected he (Glendening) had the garden removed. His excuse was he did it to save water but the real reason was his poor relationship with the Mayor. The Mayor never forgave him. I am referring to William Donald Schaefer as the Mayor because that was always his preferred title.
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