Sweet Obit

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Anonymous
Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

I received this in my email today.  Thought I'd share.

Bear Jurgeson, beloved Pomeranian of 13+ years went to doggie heaven
during the early morning hours of January 28th.  He no longer suffers
from his heart condition that made the last 2 months of his life just
existance.  We knew the time was near but we still weren't ready to
give him up.  We're very thankful that God brought him into our lives
and we were able to have many, many years of wonderful and happy
memories with the little guy.  He traveled lots of miles with us across
the US and for many years his favorite word was "Go".

His favorite food was ice cream and loved to go to DQ for a doggie cup.


Bear was preceded in death by his good kitty friend, George, who left
his home in 2001.


He is survived by his mommy, Robyn Dill, of Vail, CO, his Meme and Papa
Jurgeson of the home, his Aunt Ronda, cousins, Madison, Chris and Caleb
of Forest, VA, special neighbors, Uncle Ralph and Aunt Betty, special
caregivers, Aunt Johnnie, Aunt Ree-Ree, Aunt Kaye, and many, many
friends whose lives he touched while on earth.

He will be sadly missed by all.  I have enclosed one of my favorite
pictures of Bear in happier times (He is smiling because we just moved
to Raleigh), (sorry it's sideways) and an exerpt from an e-mail that I
received the day in December that we found out he was so sick.  For
those of you who have special dogs in your life this will be especially
meaningful, I hope.  

This is a special tribute to Bear, because he did all of these things.


If a dog was a teacher you would learn these things:


  When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.


  Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.


  Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be
pure ecstasy.


  Take naps.  Stretch before rising.


  Run, romp, and play daily.


  Thrive on attention and let people touch you.


  Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.


  On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.


  On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.


  Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.


  Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.  Stop when you have had enough.


  Be loyal.


  Never pretend to be something you're not.


  If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.


  When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle
them gently.


  Love someone -- unconditionally.


Take care and God bless.


"All creatures great and small, the Lord God loves them all."


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Comments

  • Breezie
    Breezie Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2008

    I retire early in the evenings but I have had a hard time trying to sleep tonight so I decided I would try and read some. I'm so glad that I came across the story you received. What a lovely tribute to a family member which is what our beloved pets become. I read somewhere that if I was half the person my dog thought I was I'd be a saint. Thank you so much for sharing that with the rest of us, how very thoughtful.

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  • Paulette531
    Paulette531 Member Posts: 738
    edited January 2008

    Shirley...that was awesome! I seem to have dogs in pairs. My last two dogs were Tootsie and Paris, both were rescues, Tootsie was cocker and poodle and Paris was a cocker. Tootsie was 14 when put to sleep, she was the alpha dog, I always told Paris when Tootsie left she would be the alpha dog and she seemed to accept that. I really loved both those little charmers. Tootsie had breast cancer and had three breasts removed, she was good to go for a few more years after that but old age finally set in. Paris was only eight when I had to put her to sleep, she had a rare form of nasal carcinoma that was inching towards her brain. It was horrible.

    I stayed away from dogs for a couple of years, couldn't handle what happened to Paris and then somehow I ended up with Pookie and Stubby! Two more rescues!

    I love dogs!

    My brother, sister and I bought some land in Spring, Texas near the Woodlands and plan on opening a boarding kennel but are also going to foster cockers through cocker rescue. The land deal just closed and we are gathering all the details for the building and play yard. I cannot wait! Last night my sister and I were going over details and then I read your post this morning, kinda' reiterated we are heading in the right direction!

    Thanks for the post! 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2008

    Awwww...that IS swet, Shirley! Did you know Bear?

    ~Marin

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  • lexi4
    lexi4 Member Posts: 1,074
    edited January 2008

    Thanks for sharing Bear's story. It brought happy tears to my eyes.

    Lexi

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  • Isabella4
    Isabella4 Member Posts: 2,166
    edited January 2008

    Shirley thanks for sharing ...these little dogs bring so much to our lives. Bear sounded so special.

    I just lost a baby 2 weeks ago, it has been an awful time...she was only 6 months old, and was born with her heart all wrong. She managed a lovely few months playing in the garden....and peeing all over, no-one had the heart to stop her, we knew what was to come. 

    My vet wanted me to have her put down at 8 weeks, but I really just couldn't do it to her, she just didn't look ill at all. She went 5 months before things started to go horribly wrong, I had just bought her a silly little pink vest,  with jewels all over it  (the vet said 'keep her warm'.) When she died I took it off and its been under my pillow since. She died one night at midnight, I took the vest off, and curled her up in her bed to bury next morning, and DH came upstairs asking 'for her little coat, to keep her warm 'til morning' He was in floods of tears, and so was I. 

     We are still at the stage of just looking at each other and tears are rolling down our cheeks, no words needed. I have never lost so young a dog before, its truly awful. The older dogs upset me, but they have usually had a good innings, but this is something else. I am still having to deal with phone calls asking 'Hows Ruby doing'...and not being able to answer. I was at the garden centre this pm, buying some snowdrops, to plant on her grave... she was such a sweetie.

    Isabella.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2008

    Isabella!  Dammit, you got me crying!  It's been 2 1/2 years or so since we had to put our Pom, Tasha, to sleep.  It was a few months after my mast.  She was 16 yo. 

    Oh my, losing a baby must have been so hard. My dd had a tiny kitten about eight weeks old.  She was playing with her..chasing her around her apartment.  The heavy stereo speaker fell on her.  She took her to the vet and she died with a few hours at home.  I got the call at 6 am...daughter bawling...got out of bed to pick her and kitty up...and she's buried in my back yard.  What a horrible morning.

    No, I didn't know the Pom.  The email came from a friend who knows this person.  Oh, the memories which brings tears.  I don't have to know the animal...I just cry...just like when I hear about all of your animals.

    Paulette, what a wonderful thing you and your siblings are doing.  I wish you MUCH LUCK with your new adventure.  Oh, the joy you'll get from seeing these babies in good homes.

    Breezie, I'm happy you came and read.  Oh yes, if we were half as good as our pets think we are we'd certainly be Innocent angels.

    Lexi, it's hard not to cry when anyone loses their family pet.  That's just the animal lovers in us.  Can't stand to listen to stories about how animals are mistreated.

    I love animals too.  After my Tasha died I have not gotten another dog.  I, however, do have four cats!  LOL

    Shirley

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  • gsg
    gsg Member Posts: 3,386
    edited January 2008

    so touching and beautiful, shirley.  thanks so much for sharing it with us.

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  • Mizsissy
    Mizsissy Member Posts: 371
    edited February 2008

    Shirley,

    My heart reaches out to you and to Bear, I am sure he is very happy up in Dog Heaven, where he is lying patiently, waiting for the day you arrive when he will greet you.

    We also had a pet named Bear, a feral cat in our city neighborhood that we grew to love.  Our neighbors told us he was at least seven years old and had never been touched by human hands and had lived on his own all his life...quite a remarkable feat for a city cat (but we did have rabbits & wildlife around).  He came to visit Sissy, our very sexy and attractive female (but neutered) cat.  She fell in love with him despite the lack of hormones.  He would come and sit on the side wall to our yard and act mysterious, and she would find him, and find a spot and lie discreetly several yards away from him.  At first he thought my interest in him was rather strange and perverse, but after a while he grew to understand the simple fact that I loved him, and he would let me pet him and hold him.  I felt very privileged, because I knew that he had never been touched before by human hands, but he returned the affection I gave him with gratitude...what a soft heart he had! He had an eye infection that the vet gave me drops for...which he hated.  Then I noticed that each time he came to visit me he would wash his face first so his eyes would look clear.

     

    One vacation we came back and he was gone. I walked the streets calling and calling him knowing I would never see him again.   When we moved outside the city a few years later, we found another feral cat, a female, that looked just like him, and she's our "Baby Bear."  They are so much alike we are convinced that there are related somehow. 

    Mizsissy

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2008

    Awww, Mizsissy, you offered him the love he never had.  That's how one of the feral cats here was.  She was just a baby.  She hung around with three other strays.  I would sit on the porch after feeding them.  After weeks of trying to touch her she finally would turn around and back up so I could pet her near her tail.  She didn't quite trust me.  I finally got to hold her.  Well, she's in our house now and is till a bit nervous after being in here for over a year.  We then brought in the other buddy of hers.  Those two get along and the two that were already here get along...well, except when sometimes. LOL

    Bear was not my dog.  It was just an obit that I got from a friend who knew the mommy.  Tasha was my Pom and Bear was a Pom.  My friend knew I'd be interested.  We both adore dogs.  I adore almost all animals.  Don't much like opossums.  They're a bit freaky looking.  I scare them and they scare me. 

    Shirley

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  • Mizsissy
    Mizsissy Member Posts: 371
    edited February 2008

    Hey Shirley,

    I missed the unbolded email line...but it was so nice to *share bears*...

    I like most animals too...but like you, I don't think much of possums.  I think they are just large rats, very primitive!!!

    Miz 

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  • memejurgy
    memejurgy Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2011

    Shirley, what a shock I got today when I was googling my daughter and saw enough of the title to know my little Bear's obit received national response.  I am thinking you must be a friend of Linda's.  But I cried again as I read it and cried when I read all the notes posted.  I am such an animal lover and was happy to learn you are too, and I don't care for O'Possums either.  But after we lost Bear, (my husband & I are Sr. citizens,) he wouldn't let me get another dog.  We lost Bear in 2005 and it was the fall of 2009 when one of my dear elderly friends asked me if we would keep her little Chiwawa (can't spell it but you know what I mean) who was a Sr. citizen himself but had been the light and life of her home as a widow for 12 years.  Well she went to the hospital and 3 days later died.  She had no family so there was noone to take her little Tiny.  Well, Tiny had fallen in love with my husband and would not leave his side.  The rest is history.  We are loving that little guy into his last years on earth.  He is the sweetest little dog and pretty much is the light and life of our home.  He is totally different than Bear, which makes him very special.  We changed his name to Buddy and he loves it.  Tiny just reminded us too much of his "mommy Marie" and that was hard.  So I would love to hear from you to confirm who our mutual friend is.  Thanks so much for sharing Bear's story.

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