Cindy Jones Kattner
I wrote this with a heavy heart. When I was just 18 years old I went to work at Washington intelligence bureau on a summer temp position and when I say I was a hot headed reckless irresponsible teen I am not exaggerating . Always late for work showing up half looped from the night before leaving early cause of hangovers I was a wild one ! Peggy always treated me like she didn’t see any of it really I was a terrible employee when my temp time was over she called me in her office and asked me to set down I’ll never forget those words to me “ I know this is your last day but I’ve been watching you and there is something very special about you… I thought to my self special ? She went on to say that my work ethic is terrible I had a bad temper and I was wasting precious time ripping and running drinking all hours of the night . I sat there thinking who is she .. Iam done here what do I care what she thinks . But I didn’t move I sat there because the way she carried herself the way she talked I’d never really met someone so classy and wise . She then says to me “ we are going to change all that , tomorrow when you come in you are going to walk through those doors and be presentable and foster a good work ethic and attitude . I giggled and said apparently you don’t realize this is my last day. She grinned and said no it isn’t your coming back tomorrow as my asst and together we are going to find that beautiful smart girl I’ve seen every day you walk through those doors . i was shocked but yet admired her and wanted to be just some small part like her . So I went shopping gave up my jeans and flannel shirt lost my pony tail holder and showed up with skirt and blouse high heels make up and freshly cut and styled hair . She was my mentor from that day forward . I loved Peggy as if she was my mother ( I never had a mom) and maybe that’s what drew me in to listen. She taught me how to work hard be professional and showed me the business I was her left hand for 15 years . I was promoted to manger and given my own building with my own crew . She was my mentor my confidant and she was my friend . I am a successful business woman today negotiating legal contracts for property acquisitions and I owe all my success to Peggy . She was there when I got married when I lost my first child she was there when I lost my father . I visited Peggy once she retired to culpeper and I called every Christmas . Life gets busy and I noticed I had skipped a few Christmas calls and when I called I realized she wasn’t her self I tracked down her daughter ( thankYou Sherri ) who told
Me it would be ok to visit I took her a dozen roses cause back in the day they were her fav . I continued to visit her when she moved to warrenton and Iam so grateful for my last visit on July 9th she seemed clear and actually knew me and we laughed and laughed over stories she actually recalled from our work days . I just want her family to know that not one time did I ever have a conversations that she wasn’t speaking about the love of her children and grand children all my prayers to Peggy’s family I know what a loss it must be for you heaven gained a perfect angel and I can’t wait to see her again and meet her wonderful husband that she loved so much .
