~*Memorial Day Weekend Gathering SUNDAY ~*May 29th, 2011~*

[Freckles]

Loved all the pictures and happy the weather was good. Karen, could you please copy your tribute to Phred to this thread?

[Karen]

Loved all the pictures and happy the weather was good. Karen, could you please copy your tribute to Phred to this thread?

John Morris, a.k.a. Phred was more than a beloved member of Pet Talk, he was a pillar of the community in many, many ways. He was a worrier about the youngsters on the board, a sucker for a pooch in need, and - not everyone will know this - the only other member of Pet Talk that we ever allowed to be a moderator. He and one other person that we later had to ban were asked and took on the task in October of 2001, when Paul and I were traveling to Beijing for a week, and unsure what Internet access we'd have. He did a great job, but I don't think he got a lot of sleep that week, he was so concerned about keeping everything going, so once we were back home, he asked to be demoted again pretty quickly.

You all know what a great and often wry sense of humor he had, and self-deprecating doesn't even begin to cut it. But what you may not know is how much he cared even off the board for members. He was known to get directions to the lost, help a wayward member with car trouble on a cross-country trip, and spend the time to call folks he felt were missing, or might need a phone call. I got several calls when he was worried about one person or another over the years, and as his health deteriorated, I became the one to call him instead. I remember the first time he was hospitalized with serious heart trouble, and I was calling the hospital to check on him. I knew other Pet Talkers had likely already called, and I figured they'd only believe so many "I'm his ex-wife" claims, so when the nurse on the desk said, in a brisk, faintly disapproving manner, "Are you a relative?" I answered, "Not really, but he calls me "Mom" even though I'm a good bit younger than he is ..." and she changed her tone, chuckled and put me through.

He was an organizer - of these gatherings, of the bench and memorial, and other quieter gestures. We still have the silk flowers he sent us when Miss Hoppy died, they are on the mantle of our new apartment. And "Stoney" the rabbit he sent us one Christmas is in the living room - it's theoretically a garden ornament, but never went outside or got dirty.

His unique take on posting in Cinder and Smoke's vernacular will forever be a part of Pet Talk, and certain threads of his will be remembered forever. He left is mark on us all, and left the world a better place than it likely was before he to came this ol' dirtball. And although he passed away, he remains one of us, because as I have said before,

Death does not win
Love lives on
In stories and memories
In gestures and phrases
Long after our bodies have failed,
Love lives on.

We miss him, but smile thinking of the raucous greeting he surely got that day, when he arrived at The Rainbow Bridge, to be greeted not only by Boots, and Bowser, but by all the animals he loved over the years.

And we'll see him again some day when we get there, too, and look forward to that hug.

[Husky_mom]

lovely words Karen.. really lovely and heartwarming :´)

[phesina]

What a lovely, wonderful gathering it sounds like it was! So nice to look at the pictures and read the reports.

I had been planning to come with Gretchen and Doug but had been fighting off a cold for a few days. Yesterday morning I woke up woozy and hot and stuffed up, so I thought I'd best stay home.. if I was getting a virus, I didn't want it to go viral (among all the PTers)!

I'm glad you all had such a fine time and that the weather was good for the celebration. And what a time Phred and all our friends at the Bridge must have had with you all there too!

from Pat and cats

[cyber-sibes]

Thanks for sharing the pics & memories of this wonderful day with those of us who couldn't be there. I'm so glad the weather turned out well, you bet Phred had a word with the Almighty's Weatherman! That is a beautiful letter, Karen, thanks for posting it. The rock is truly touching - looks like its on that little rise at the far end? The dogs all loved that little hill!

I combined the silk bouquets Phred sent us when we lost Star and then Tori so soon afterwards. They are a constant reminder of what a caring person Phred was, always extending himself to others. We live just up from the Naval Fire Fighting School, and I always think about Phred when I go by. He was one of a kind, for sure!

Thanks for the bench photo - those trees have gotten really big! Spent many happy hours on that bench!

[MonicanHonda]

I'm so sorry I couldn't be there. I really want to go see his rock. <3 It's gorgeous. And now everyone who goes there will wonder who this man is... but only a select few will truly know what a wonderful guy he was. If I ever return, I only hope someone asks if I know who he is so I can tell of a great man. The tribute is just wonderful... I truly was amazed at how much he cared for people... that's one of the first things I recognized about Phred. It amazed me that people cared that much, even for people he knew mostly over the internet. We need more people in this world like Phred.

I can't wait to see everyone over Labor Day weekend, I am hoping I will be able to come if my new job allows it. :-D

[Freckles]

Where is the final resting place of the rock?