by Lisa Schauer
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened,” said Devin Abe at Paw Paw’s tree of remembrance lighting ceremony following the town’s annual Christmas parade on Sunday, December 7.
Abe, who is coach of Paw Paw Little League, has hosted the ceremony for the past few years, and unabashedly choked up when reciting the names of townspeople who have passed during 2025.
During the holidays, many people struggle with loneliness and depression, having lost loved ones and longing for Christmas past.
He said the popular quote is a reminder to focus on the joy of having had that person in your life, not the sadness of letting them go.
Miss Paw Paw Joselyn Smith then lit the town’s Christmas tree of remembrance, as locals gathered after the parade to watch.
Mountaineer Community Health Center popped corn and handed it out in the Bank of Romney parking lot.
