Sept 12, 2001 - May 17, 2011
One who possessed beauty without vanity,
strength without insolence,
courage without ferocity
and virtue without the vices of men.
The last ten and a half years of our family life have been shared with a dog named Levi. Brought to our home as a puppy for the usual reason; our children. Or so I told myself. Levi was a purebred golden retriever born to champion parents. But we didn't care about that; we just wanted a good breed, a nice family dog and he was just perfect. He was the cutest golden retriever pup I'd ever seen, and he grew into a really beautiful dog. My daughter Leanne and I called him the 'Brad Pitt" of golden retrievers because he was just so handsome. He really loved people, always assuming visitors were arriving just to see him. Were it not for his size, he'd have been a lap dog and he was incredibly affectionate. Of course, like all golden retrievers he loved to run free and loved his water sports and car rides. Over all, he was just a really great dog. He was with us thru the difficult pre-teen and teen years when no one really seemed to have time for him. But he loved us just the same.
He was with us during the traumatic years of separation and then divorce and the few years of shared doggy custody. But he never judged us or became angry. When he came to my home full time, he sat with me when I cried of a broken heart or over the loneliness of my empty nest and thru everything in between. Always remaining in the same room with me; always there to greet me with his sweet demeanor, always by my side.
He was with us during the traumatic years of separation and then divorce and the few years of shared doggy custody. But he never judged us or became angry. When he came to my home full time, he sat with me when I cried of a broken heart or over the loneliness of my empty nest and thru everything in between. Always remaining in the same room with me; always there to greet me with his sweet demeanor, always by my side.
This year, when he became sick and was uncomfortable and full of tumours, he would still greet us happily at the end of our work day right up until the very end when the cancer finally took him from us.
His happy presence, loyalty and unconditional love has, I believe, left it's mark on my entire family. But I can say for certain it has left one on me and I will not forget his beauty.
You will be missed my sweet boy!
