I have not known Jerry as long as some, but I liked him and respected him. Over the last couple of years, he and I had some great phone calls. When we first started communicating (BCA business) He called me and I answered the phone. He said "hello" and I said "Hi Jerry". He said "You recognized my voice?" I replied "No I have caller ID!" He said "I always consider it a complement when people see my name on their caller ID and still pick up the phone!" I will miss his sense of humor. I will also miss our "BCA issues and possible solutions" discussions.
I wanted everyone to know some of his final thoughts. A while back (maybe 4-6 weeks) we were talking on the phone about updating the information concerning the Charitable fund on the National website. He suggested that I go back through the Bulldogger reports (which he had approved for accuracy)to put together some information. He was not sure he was up to it, but wanted it done.
I was working on it in between visits to my husband's family. My brother in law was also dying. The day before Jerry died, He sent me an e-mail, and said that he had had some lucid moments and was able to put together some stuff for me for the Charitable fund pages on the website. I appoligized for not getting it done as quickly as I wanted and he said he understood and sent me a poem he found in his mother's things after she died almost nine years prior. It was about caring for loved ones as they approach the end of their lives. He told me "Projects like the web site are labors of love undertaken by a small (and unfortunately shrinking) group of people, and something that has to take a back seat to more important life events." I assured him I would format what he sent me and get it to Bev to upload to the site.
He wrote later that evening and wanted us to also update the donor form with a "cleaner version" which he also sent. I again assured him we would take care of it. I formatted and sent it on to Bev, telling her that we needed to get this up ASAP...it was really important to Jerry.
Bev got right on it (in spite of her recent back surgery). I e-mailed Jerry the next morning and told him it was done. He died that day. I just thought that everyone should know that he was still putting us all first...right up until his final moments; he was still serving BCA.
My heartfelt thoughts and condolenses to his family during this time. Jerry was a great guy who had it really rough towards the end. It is unfortunate that his final decisions have become public, but my prayer is that those who thought of him as a friend, will remember his example of service, and love of the breed.
Posted on Jul 9, 2008, 2:34 PM from IP address 71.111.51.224