Embedded Files
Ricky Hagerman/Jones
5/2/1993 – 8/25/2006
Our beloved Ricky passed away on his front porch after a brief illness diagnosed as bone cancer two weeks prior. He came to live with us as a "bounce" on August 29th, 2000 and soon became an integral part of our family. He quickly bonded with our first greyhound, Lucy, and the two became inseparable throughout the years. We had no idea what to expect from this dog, who had two previous families subsequent to retiring from the racetrack. What we found, was that he exceeded all of our expectations and was the sweetest, best-behaved boy we ever had. I'm not sure if it was us, or Ricky, who benefited more from this last adoption. He captured our hearts right away because of his easygoing nature and eagerness to please. Most of all, Ricky loved his daily walks and table scraps. One of his last meals was tenderloin steak, which he wished he had a steady diet of.
When we first adopted Rick, he was very laid back and we incorrectly assumed that he was short on intellect. He soon set us straight by training us to read his needs and desires. When Rick was getting impatient about something, he would snap his lower mandible shut in a loud clap. If that didn't produce the desired response, he would bark, first softly, and then louder, until he got what he wanted. Rick was able to tell us exactly what he wanted when asked. He simply swung his nose in the direction of treats, food, the back door, or whatever the need was at the time.
Unlike Lucy, Rick was willing to endure wardrobe experiments that pet owners often put their animals through…he would happily sit outside on our front porch wearing a tall witches hat every Halloween. When unsuspecting children came up to our porch for their sugary treats and caught a glimpse of Rick in his hat, it was fun to watch their startled reactions. He even seemed to enjoy it.
Left behind, is his constant companion, Lucy Hagerman/Jones. Lucy was witness to Rick's passing and has become listless since his death. We are hoping she can find a way to work past this. We find ourselves getting those pangs of grief when passing by the pantry where his bowl used to be, or seeing his leash and collar hanging at the back door. Never the less, we take comfort in knowing that he loved every day of his life here with us and is now bounding through green pastures with the vigor of a pup. I still get visions of him when he was done with his business in the back yard, he would come racing up to the back door, obviously quite pleased with himself.
God be with you Rick. We love you.
- Patricia Hagerman and Cindy Jones
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