5/21/04
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, Jane lost her fight with cancer. But she won a lot of skirmishes! We started calling her the "come-back kid." I had the
privilege of being full-time caregiver this past six months. She never lost her sense of humor and enjoyed each day. The dog community has been loving
and supportive. Jane glowed for a week following a few hours visit at a trial in Palmetto this winter. I'm sure she'll be fondly remembered as the
judge and competitor with the infectious laugh and red pith helmet. As friend, Martin Mayo said, "She's Run Fast, Run Clean; but most importantly,
Run with Love, Dignity, and Respect!"
Pam Cumming
One of my favorite memories of Jane came before I got to know her as well as
I would later. I was running a course that she was judging, a somewhat tricky AX
course. My dog and I have never been know for our consistency, but he was
running quite beautifully that day. We nearly had it done when he slid past the
plane of a jump and over corrected. From behind me, I heard
Jane sigh, "Awwwww." Later I found how typical of her this reaction
was. She really wanted people to succeed! Later that day, I also remember
hearing that unforgettable laugh as this same dog decided to go under the
double, carrying it along with him to the tunnel. Nothing in the world could
lighten a moment like Jane's laugh. Recently, after Jane was quite ill, she'd
still
take time to come out on the porch to offer encouragement during practice, or
grab the phone to ask how we'd run. In The Little Prince, the main character
promises, "In one of the stars I
shall be laughing..." I want to believe that Jane is now running free with
all those wonderful dogs we've loved and lost, sharing her kind heart and that
beautiful laugh.
Kathy Fornes
