Remembering Catherine Bryant

When I came in this morning, I shoved aside what I'd planned to write and sat thinking about Catherine Bryant. She was a dear little lady with blond hair and sparkling eyes that I met when I came to work here in August of 2003. She had a desk space in the Odom Genealogy Library, and she was in and out on her special schedule all the time.
Catherine M. Bryant, age 86, passed away on Sunday, December 9th, and left a hole in a lot of people's hearts and lives. She had lots of friends all over Moultrie.
I remember reading about her in the book Mrs. Odom wrote, History of the Public Library of Moultrie, Georgia 1906-1965. It said in 1945 Catherine replaced Mrs. Robert Anderson as Bookmobile Librarian. It was Catherine's first paying job with the library. And elsewhere in the book it stated that in July 1947 Mrs. Bryant attended the Bookmobile Institute. Then when the County Board of Education purchased a Ford-Vanette Bookmobile, Catherine and her husband, Ray, drove it to Moultrie in June 1950.
In another part of the book, I read: "No official records of library personnel other than the librarians are on file prior to 1943, when the first report was made to the State Board of Education. This showed three members on staff. From 1945 to 1950 there were five members: librarian, bookmobile assistant, office assistant, clerical assistant, and library assistant." Catherine was one of those people. And the book said in 1964 Catherine was still on staff. In fact, in 2007 Catherine was still on staff.
In her 62 years of employment with the library, Catherine was not only a bookmobile librarian, but she was in charge of the library's film service, the audio-visual equipment and repair, and the Intra-Library Loan service. She began the Veterans History Project and she was also secretary to the Library Board for more than
30 years.
When Catherine was selected Employee of the Month this past September, several staff membes wrote notes about her and I kept them in a file cabinet beside my desk. Today I pulled the notes out and read them. One person said, "There is no one more dedicated! When she sets out to do a project, she's in it 110% with all her heart and soul!" Another person said, "I've worked with Catherine for 45 years. She is one of the most dedicated and sincere persons I have ever known. She gives of herself unconditionally."
I, for one, will remember her best as the caretaker of the Veterans History Project at the library. Earlier this year it was named in her honor. One co-worker said, "Catherine has a love for all Veterans of all the wars. She wants to have the Veterans Project section in the library so all Veterans will be honored and never forgotten." That was the reason library staff members requested in November 2006 that the Library Board approve naming the Veterans History Project in Catherine's honor. And they did.
Today while sitting in front of the computer, I wondered what else we could do to honor Catherine. We'll no longer see her smiling face or hear her sweet voice. But I feel we can honor her each day we walk into this library that she loved so dearly and smile at the patrons or answer their questions, or just be as dedicated in our work as she was, no matter what we do. And I know she will never be forgotten by those of us who are fortunate enough to have known her.
Of course, there are lots of people out there who have had very up close and personal relationships with Catherine. They will undoubtedly miss her even more. So, there's no way anyone is going to forget Catherine M. Bryant. Little as she was in stature, she's big -- very big -- in the hearts and minds of us all.