Sir Ringo Starr Luke
In Memory of our Beloved Friends who are waiting at the Rainbow Bridge... Sir Ringo Star
“Sir Ringo Star” was born Aug. 7, 1994 and was taken to Rainbow Bridge July 17, 2003, just shy of his 9th birthday. This deep, red coated Golden Retriever captured our hearts, when we brought him home at 12 weeks old. He was the Luke family’s first pet and found a special place in each member’s heart. For the most part he was an outside dog that loved to frolic in the snow and yet cuddle up on the living room couch. He loved car rides, he loved to run beside the bike and to faithfully jog with our daughter or son, no matter what the hour of the day. Sir Ringo Star was known as the “red dog”, who pranced beside his master down 50 St. for his daily walk.
At age 3 he collapsed on a run with our daughter and was diagnosed
with a spine disease, probably from birth. Our options were
to ship him to Calgary for an operation that could not guarantee
anything or to watch him deteriorate into paralysis. Neither
option sat well with us. We lifted the concern in prayer,
and he continued his healthy, active lifestyle and showed
no further concerns in this area, in fact we were able to
manipulate that area without any further discomfort.
Monday, July 14th Ringo had a normal day and completed his
traditional 3 km walk. Tuesday morning he was sleeping in
his mansion of a dog house, converted from a children’s
play house. He didn’t seem interested in food, which
he usually chomped down with pleasure, never missing a meal.
After consultation with the vet we bottle fed him water Tuesday
and Wednesday and witnessed his condition decreasing rapidly.
By Wednesday evening we carried him into the house and Thursday
he could not regain balance even though mind was willing to
please but the body seemed to have shutdown. At the Vet Hospital
Thursday they detected a tumor in the lymphatic system and
as a family we bade farewell to our beloved family member.
As we grieve the loss of our cherished member we also are saddened to see these faithful friends leave at what seems to be the prime of life. There is a hole in each of our hearts and members of our community as he had won the hearts of many. Our daughter summed it up in her poem:
SIR RINGO STAR
1994-2003
They
called you "a man's best friend"
And it has never been, more true
But I never thought there would come a day
When life would go on without you.
Who
knew such a lump of fur
Could melt into one's heart?
Even through the hardest ones,
To our life you became apart.
I will never forget the day you came
After waiting for so long.
You were a gift from heaven
To us you now belong.
I
see how you have changed our lives
And let us love again.
Your constant supply of unconditional love
To no one else you could contend.
I
wish that I could see you now,
From all the pain are you now free?
Can you chase the cats now all day long?
Is life the best that it can be?
You
will be dearly missed
It's like a part of us is gone
But through our suffering, joys and gains
A part of you will still go on.