Cat McConnell served as the Executive Director of West Virginia Senior Legal Aid organization for over 25 years. She was a 1995 graduate of the WVU College of Law and a beloved figure in the West Virginia public interest community. She was a fierce advocate for disability rights and environmental justice who mentored many aspiring public interest attorneys.
According to her daughter, Olivia, Cat was easily identified by the long flowing hair that she hadn't cut in decades, a wardrobe full of colorful tie dyes, and her beautiful singing voice.
“She was a tremendous musician who could play many instruments,” she said. “Everyone thought she was a bass player, but the truth is that she was a guitarist first. It’s just there’s always a guitarist around and it’s hard to find someone to play the bass, so of course she just filled the gap. She’s always been in this position of supporting.”
Longtime colleague Micki Biggs, who considered McConnell to be a mentor, said she valued her “independent thinking and ability to make you think about things from a new vantage point.”
“She was very skeptical and inquisitive and made many valid points that I wouldn’t have thought of,” Biggs said. Biggs said that while McConnell was very dedicated to her career, she very much valued relationships and taking time to appreciate the present.
For example, Biggs recalled a return trip from an elder law conference in Clarksburg with McConnell and a summer intern all traveling together. McConnell insisted upon taking the pair on a scenic, roundabout route so they could stop to see a friend’s baby goats.
“She loved them and knew all of their names,” Biggs recalled. “That’s how she was. She would never miss a chance to stop and smell the roses and remember that everything’s not so serious.”
She will be recognized posthumously at the College of Law’s graduation ceremony on May 10. Family members will accept the award on her behalf.
