COOPER 1994-2006

Click on photo to enlarge - photo by Mary Anne

Cooper, an eternal puppy, passed into the hereafter on Tuesday, July 25th.
He was a 12 year-old pup and the much loved companion of our friend Mary Anne.

The following words come from the person who best knew Cooper.

From Mary Anne...

"Cooper was a yellow lab, though a lot of people asked if he was part Dane because he was so leggy and tall. He didn't have a single mean or aloof fiber in his body; strangers were just friends he hadn't met yet.

He lived to play fetch (eating came a distant second) and was happy to play with anyone who would throw a stick or ball or frisbee or pine cone. But, it was always my feet he would be curled up under at the end of the day, and I think he always kept tabs on where I was. Whenever we'd go hiking, he would run ahead up the trail but come back every couple of minutes and bump my hand with his nose before taking off again. Being a lab, he loved the water, even half-frozen Big Bear Lake in the middle of winter.

He had an exuberant life, and I often wished I could approach each day with even half my dog's attitude. Recently, when the eager light went out of his eyes and he showed no interest in balls, squeaky toys, swimming, kibbles, or my proximity, I knew it was time.... "

Click on photo to enlarge

Cooper endeared himself to Peggy and I during one of his first social events, a small gathering of wildlife biologists, botanists, muscians, old & young hippies, and other odd folks, including, of course, several dogs.

We were all just getting to know each other and came together at our house for the afternoon to share some food, stories, and music.

The appetizer was a giant bowl of home-made hummus in the center of the table, and, as we sat down to dip our chips, Cooper, always ready to play, tossed a big slobbery pine cone in the air, which went up over our heads and plopped right into the middle of the bowl of fresh hummus.

There was a moment of silence as we all sat there stunned, before breaking into hysterical laughter, tossing the pine cone back to Cooper, scooping up our hummus, and with some humility, delighting in being initiated to the slobbery spirit of Cooper's carefree dog silliness.

Cooper gave us a very funny moment, an ice-breaking test of just how down to earth our little group was, and I think we passed the test...

Today, in his memory, Peggy made up a bowl of hummus, I plopped a pine cone in it, and we toasted glasses of wine to Cooper.

Here's to you Boy!