26 February 2013
To the Family and Friends of my Jude,
Many of you know that I love to read books. Perhaps like you, I have also found it is not really "The End" when we turn that last page and close the back cover. Sometimes, the characters and the words seem to live on in our minds and hearts. Almost imperceptibly, we write everyday in our own "Book of Life" and the most meaningful chapters are the ones we share with those we love. Yesterday, I finished one of the most beautiful chapters in my life with Jude and in my heart I know that he will forever live on. So, I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of his life and also thank you for loving him too.

Jude's first and best friend was Snickers. They attended Puppy School together at Canine University and also entertained every week-end at my Dad's Nursing Home. They were regulars at every family gathering along with Tobey but Jude did not pee on the Christmas tree, no way!

We continued with "higher education" courses at the U. Eventually, Jude became a Canine Good Citizen, CGC, AKC and then a Certified Therapy Dog. The real education began though when we joined "Caring Canines". So many Nursing Homes to visit and so many people in need of caring and unconditional love! Jude did his best to deliver what he could.
When Jude was almost three, he began to have cardiac problems. When they told me his heart was huge, somehow I thought I already knew that because he loved me so much. We retired from the professional therapy dog circuit and Jude was honored with a plaque for his dedicated service, 67 visits and we began another chapter in our lives.
Our week-ends and evenings were spent walking, walking, walking, chasing squirrels, walking and loving each other more each day. Jude was a handsome fellow thanks to his dedicated groomer Lisa. With the care and love of Dr. Crowley, Dr. Ricketts and Dr. Laste, we had the gift of another day many more times than I expected. We made many friends on our journeys, both canine and human. Jude loved to work and he would often help me in the garden. I could always count on him to be supervising the operation from his favorite observation post. Often our neighbors would ask if I added another statue to my collection and then he would bark and freak us all out!

Jude is the only one I know who loved my singing and his favorite tune was "You are my sunshine". He also seemed to love my imitation of Katherine Hepburn in "On Golden Pond". I cannot tell you how many times I told him, like Ms. Hepburn, "You are my knight in shining armor" my dearest Jude.

With our family, Jude did the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk for ten years. We also with my nieces participated in the "Clancy Darling Road Race" to honor two very special nieces. Jude received the special blessing of the animals on the Boston Common along with the Park Ranger horses. He was also blessed with Snickers too by a priest who wore big yellow rubber boots for protection and for awhile there we had a couple of bored angels.

Snickers and Jude are together again. Dog people know there is a "Rainbow Bridge" that our beloved pets cross over and they wait patiently for us to join them. No doubt, Snickers is enjoying being the leader of the pack again.

So, from the bottom of my heart which is so much bigger because of my Jude, I thank you for letting Jude touch your life too. I hope that the crazy little schnauzer named Jude has also been a page in your "Book of Life" and that what we shared stays in your heart as it will forever stay in mine.
Love, Dee