Valerie's memorial service was held on 11/26/11. Seventy-two or so of her friends and family were in attendance. I am sorry that I live so far away, or I would have been there. Only 3-4 Coton breeders were there to pay their respects.
I am still finding it very difficult to accept Valerie's tragic death. Valerie was a Coton breeder for about 14 years. She was very transparent when it came to her breeding program. She would tell stories of years ago... before I started breeding......... about how some breeders told her to keep quiet when she had a Bandera's affected litter. Valerie didn't care...she did her research and spent a lot of her own money to send the remains of puppies and blood upon blood to the University of Missouri so they would hopefully find a marker for this disease. Recently, they did find the marker and every breeder of Cotons should be very thankful for that. Valerie left her mark in this often cold and cruel world of breeding. Thank you Valerie for standing up for your convictions and pursuing this quest against the advise of others.
Valerie would keep me on the phone for hours sometimes filling me in on things of the past..telling me that she had to learn everything the hard way because nobody would help her, or tell her things she needed to know as far as her breeding program went. She would make light of how things can only happen to her. We would laugh and laugh about just how crazy it all was.
Valerie's last couple of years were very hard on her. Personal problems that affect all of us throughout our lifetime found her crippled with grief at times. The one thing that kept her afloat was the love for her dogs. She had so many nicknames for them..some I may even say to a dog or two of my own every so often. Nothing bad of course, just rather cute in nature. Valerie didn't sell many breeding dogs in all her years of breeding...I can count on one hand how many breeding prospects she sold. Valerie really needed to believe in someone and trust them to sell them a dog. I feel honored that Val trusted me, as I trusted her as a friend and confidant. She told me a story not long ago that I thought was just a riot. A breeder had phoned her looking for a breeding dog and Valerie said, "I only will consider selling a breeding dog to breeders that I know and have established a good relationship with" The breeder then said, "You don't know who I am"? Val said, "Umm nope" The breeder said in a very disgruntled sort of voice, "Well, then that's your loss" and promptly hung up on her.
My heart goes out to her dogs because of "their" great loss. They are the ones that have suffered. Let's not forget about these little babies and keep them in our thoughts and prayers. They loved Valerie with every ounce of their being. Thankfully, Valerie does have some good friends that she trusted, and they will make sure that their new lives will be filled with the love and companionship that Valerie would have wanted for them. Families that will welcome their new little dog into their home, and fill their little hearts with the hope of being loved and cared for ..for the rest of their lives. And one day, they will meet Valerie again when it's their time to cross over the rainbow bridge. I can see Val in my head right now, kneeling down with her arms wide open and calling them home again. Rest in peace dear Valerie. I think about you daily. Godspeed.
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