Beau’s eulogy

In memory of Lou-Lou’s Beau… in grief and warmest love forever:

While I am in this sadness…
Let me somehow reach for all the moments of JOY you (Beau) gave me!

How your daily obedience to me without fuss, always amazed me…
How you could wait for me, no matter how long I had to be away from home, always so eager to see me! I know you loved dinner time, but was it all that prompted you to greet me so?

You always showed me such enthusiasm with a tail wagging greeting when I came home! (Except for the last few months, when you began not even waking up when I got up in the morning, or when I would come in the door).

One of my best memories of you  (and of Lou-Lou) were when we lived in the little house on York; the house with the doggy door, and big back yard. You would nearly “fly” from the doggy door, over and off of the porch, and run all around the yard! Oh, how you both loved that! And you would always go way out in the yard (by the back fence) to do your “business.” (You were so thoughtful in that way). As well as, you loved to chase the squirrels!

When we moved to the new townhouse, how quick you were to greet every neighbor, especially Muriel Springer (Susan Springer‘s mom — Susan would later become my Reiki teacher. Such synchronicities always).

We also met an older gentleman while we were walking the neighborhood, whose name I have long since forgotten. He loved you so much that he and his wife invited us in and we would chat for several minutes while they offered you water. You magnetized people! The man eventually declined from Alzheimer’s, left his wife, and moved in with his kids in another state – his wife later told me she felt it was so he could be close to them and their dog!

You helped me get outside to exercise by walking with you three times a day, meeting new neighbors, and finding new trees and flowers too!

Another strong memory, was the year I thought it would be a good time to take you to Bike Week in Daytona Beach with me because my son Matt lived on the beach and we could walk to Main Street with them.

Boy, was I wrong! You absolutely hated all the loud motorcycles and I watched you nearly, literally, come out of your skin when the bikes would blast by! So, I picked you up and carried you the whole time. And we didn’t stay long!

Here we are with my daughter Marie (who also loved you more than words)!

What with all our travels, you were always such a sport! You loved adventure – well, most of it. You always looked for the adventure – on every walk! Even from almost the beginning when you innocently thought you’d say hi to a Boxer, who turned on you and nearly killed you (that one time I walked you and Lou-Lou in a city park in Missouri)… I had to rush you to the doggy hospital to get drain tubes and stitches! What an ordeal that was! But you forged through it, and recovered so nicely. It did not deter you from making other doggy friends over the years, thankfully!

You always enjoyed going to mom and dad’s house. My mom and dad loved you too!

You fathered two litters of puppies, some of whom went on to great things! You were the best dad to them, cleaning them and showing them the doggy ropes, which I have been told, not many doggy dads do!

You showed us all quiet unconditional love.

You always waited to be “invited” to sit on the couch with me. When Lou-Lou was alive, you always let her sit on me and you’d go to my side or feet. You were always the gentleman, the gentle heart!

You loved flowers. You loved finding new places to pee/potty, and you always wanted to go #2 as far away from the street or house as possible.

You loved traveling with me, you and Lou-Lou were my companions and guards when I drove back and forth from Missouri to Florida for work all those years ago.

You taught me to wag more and bark less – in fact you rarely ever barked!

One time, (nearly two years ago) you met a beautiful big white dog (some kind of English Setter) and you barked in your loudest ever excited way, at him and wiggled all over! You were so adorable! You loved him so much, behaving that way every time we saw him on our walks! It was over the top! Almost embarrassing!! LOL

You made friends, yes human friends so very easily Debby Stott Aznar and Richard will always love you!!) You loved to stay with them when they babysat you! You were in your glory riding with Deb in her golf cart! Oh how you loved to ride in golf carts, and she wasn’t the first person you bummed a ride from over the years.

You taught me the meaning of “no complaints”.
You put up with more than I will probably ever know. And remained my steady and faithful friend.

I will miss your snoring! And I felt your snore all the way up to the end.

I will miss carrying you up the steps, three times a day, up and down, for the last two years (due to your losing your depth perception).

I will miss taking you to the groomers and picking you up, all fresh smelling and gorgeous!

I am so glad you got to go on one last, short vacation to Georgia with us. I am sure it was hard on you, not knowing where you were, and with the yard on a hill, and cold ground — as it turns cold in the hills of Georgia in October. But, you got to be with me the whole weekend, and I loved holding you on the drive home. 

I will try to say, so long with tears of joy that you will go in peace, at home – in my arms. And you did. With only one cry.

Your final trip. Over the Rainbow Bridge. I pray you’ll romp now with a big white dog, a special English Setter, or Lou-Lou, or both, whomever you prefer! I will hold that thought of you today and forever in my mind.

Kisses always!

The last veterinarian, Dr. Francis Baker, came to our RV and showed us great compassion during this sad time. And I commented to Richard as she drove away with you, that you got one last ride in a Jeep (just as you had travelled with me all those years, when I had a Jeep). Somehow, in that moment, I was able to smile just a bit. Oh, Beau! Synchronicities. Ah!

Lou-Lou’s Beau (your official AKC registered name), will be memorialized at the base of the next tree I plant (maybe my son will do that for us, at his home, or we’ll plant an apple tree up north in Mike, Marie, and Jennie’s yard).

I will be forever grateful to my friend Liz Lowry, from Missouri, for strongly suggesting that I get a second Shih-Tzu, which, thanks to my cousin breeding them at the time, turned out to be you! I will be forever grateful to my cousin Molly Reynolds Curry for bringing Beau into our lives, and her mom and dad for delivering him to me in Florida, all those years ago.

You are the white knight, Beau. My best boy. Best furry friend ever. Your love will live in my heart forever.

20-Jan-2002 to 21-Oct-2015

Rest in peace our beloved, Beau!

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