Tributes
In Loving Memory of Bear
1984 - 1999
"He possessed beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all the virtues of Man, without the vices. This praise, which would be unmeaning flattery for a human, is but a just tribute to the memory of Bear, a dog." Lord Byron
"Bear was the best dog ever! I'll always remember B-dog as a happy and loving dog. For fifteen years he was my best friend and I miss him a lot. Bear did not have a mean bone in his body and was always ready to go places in my old truck. He loved to go for walks each day and especially enjoyed visiting the park." Drake
"Bear was a gentle dog, he loved people and other animals. He was always waiting at the door when we came home. He let the cats sniff at any scrap of food before he gobbled it up. He was friendly with the other dogs in the neighborhood, even if they growled or barked." Barb
"Bear will always live on in our minds and hearts. We have many fond memories of his love and affection for us. Our memory takes us back to the time when Drake went to Paul Lansing’s home and chose a young puppy and brought him to Flagstaff to be named Bear. Bear was as much at home with us as he was with Drake. We took great care of Bear and spoiled him with treats and he returned his love to us.
Bear was very intelligent and always lovable. He became a loving member our family. It was always a great joy and lots of fun to play with Bear and watch him do the many tricks Drake had taught him to do. Bear always greeted us with signs of happiness and made us feel welcome when visiting with Drake and Barb.
Bear gave us another wonderful gift - he gave us his son AZTX. Named AZTX because Bear was born in Arizona and his son was born in Texas. AZTX provides us with a continual reminder of Bear, his father. This is because AZTX is very much like Bear in so many ways.
Yes, we certainly miss Bear but are so very thankful for his 15 years of giving us so much happiness."
Sam and Maggie
"Bear was a good boy. He and I spent a lot of time together when Drake was in Austin. I will always remember him running circles when Drake asked him if he wanted to go for a ride." Adam
"Bear was my best friend's (Freckles) best friend. I remember the New Year's day he and Freckles were goofing off, as boys will do, and Bear ended up with a huge gash on his cheek. Since it was unlikely we would find a vet we decided to stitch him up ourselves. Fortunately I had been stitched many times by doctors and we repeated the procedure with about 4 or five black stitches. Amazingly Bear never winced once during the surgery. I will never forget his bark!" Paul Gaither & Freckles
"I remember when Drake first got Bear. He was a great dog. Always attentive and protective of me. I use to watch Bear when Drake was out of town and he would sleep at the foot of my bed. Bear was a great friend when I was in college and after I got out of college. I will miss him always. Good-bye Bear." Erin Harper (Sauter)
"I can only say that bear was a special DOG (person). Having heard the many LOVING story's from my wife and knowing how special a friend like that can be. I may not have had the opportunity to know you but your memory will always live in our hearts. CHEERS BEAR WE WILL MISS YOU!!!" Ed Harper
"Bear will always live in my memory as the best dog I ever met. He was friendly without being pushy and he was ready to play when you were. Mostly he understood how to BE with all types of people. He was even a good companion for cats. In his later years two cats came to live with him. He accepted them and they lived together in harmony. In fact, one of the cats, Charlotte, even enjoyed taking walks on a leash as long as Bear was with her." Dorothy
"Bear, I always tell my friends the story about when you, Drake, and I were sailing on Lake Powell. The sails filled rapidly, Drake and I trying to get into our diapers, and you with your claws sunk firmly in the hull. One more gust of wind and everything in the boat wound up in the lake...except you! Sitting on the top of the hull, smiling...I will never forget it." Tim
"Bear added a lot of fun to the camping trips I went on. I was sitting here thinking about the day Drake told me he had to have Bear put to rest, it brought back a lot of memories when I would go to the house and play ball or have Bear do all the cool tricks he could do. Bear was a great swimmer and loved the pool as much as we did. I love you and miss you Bear........your bud." Bryan
"I still remember the time when Drake and Bear ventured back to AZ in '92, or so. Drake was going to be buying a house and needed a place to stay until he got settled. We welcomed him into our home, but he asked us if Bear and the boa snakes could join him. The snakes were a definite no, as my mom said she would not be able to sleep knowing boa constrictors were living with her grandchildren. I kind of had to agree with her. Not being used to big dogs at the time, I told Drake Bear was welcome and he would be safe in the backyard. Drake kindly informed me that Bear was an "inside" dog. I said, "Oh, well .... ummm..... I guess that would be okay." Well, little did I know that my family and I would absolutely come to adore and love this special dog named Bear over the next 5 months. It only took a few days to become attached, but we developed a strong bond and friendship with Bear as time went on. He was VERY talented and loving. Jason and Brian enjoyed Bear tremendously and loved to entertain our guests with his tricks. Bear was always patient with them. He was so easy to like. He was a lucky dog and had a great life, Drake." LuAnn
"The HOT Arizona sun high in the blue sky. Sedona's sun baked red cliffs in the distance. A blue truck at Grasshopper Point. Cold clear waters cooling the mountain desert. Kids splashing and a screaming. Bear dog towing screaming kids through the cold waters. Lines of children waiting for "my turn next". A windy winding ride home for a tired friend. Sleep well my old friend." Anonymous
"Bear was neat. He would pull me around Uncle Drake's swimming pool. Love", Tyler
"I really liked Bear a lot. I'm sad he is gone." Kayla
"Bear was kind and he had a great sense of humor. He is missed by all of us." Laura
"I remember Bear as a dog who could do amazing tricks. From something as simple as fetching a ball to something more complex as the "turbo", Bear's talents never ceased to amaze me. I will miss him."
Tia McCraley
"BEAR DOG, a wonderful dog, a wonderful friend. Having known Drake for over twenty-six years, I remember Bear as a pup so vividly in his early years and through his old age. He readily accepted me and my family as if we were his own. He played patiently with my children when they were growing up and they loved him immensely. My last memory of Bear was when I visited Drake and Barb in their Cape Coral home. Believe it or not, Bear remembered me or at least he made me feel that he did, as old as he was. He will be missed greatly by the McCraley family."
Tom and Totsy McCraley
IF A DOG WERE YOUR TEACHER contributed by Debbie Popick
You would learn stuff like…
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When it's in your best interest - practice obedience.
Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shade tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout…
...run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you've had enough.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." Mark Twain
"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog... When all other friends desert, he remains." George Graham Vest
"To his dog, every man is Napolean; hence the constant popularity of dogs." Aldous Huxley
"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too." Samuel Butler
"Dog, A king of additional or subsidiary Deity designed to catch the overflow and surplus of the world's worship." Ambrose Bierce
