Of all the things that brought our dad, Jack, great joy in his life, dogs would easily rank in the top five. From Shelties when he was a boy to Goldens, hounds, and rescue mutts in adulthood, there are very few moments of his 75 years where a dog wasn't by his side.

He was a natural dog guardian - long before the current model of canine companionship was centered on meeting the needs of the dog, he was already doing that. Agency and enrichment were never in short supply for the dogs of Rutledge Falls; our backyard was 300 acres of water and forest and fields where the dogs joined in our splash flights by the secret shower, rallied behind us as we meandered down the old wagon trail, got cast as characters in our recreation of Little House on the Prairie, and kept pace alongside our horses as we galloped past the rows of corn. He found out that University of the South (Sewanee) had a tradition of dogs coming to their football games and so up to the mountain we all went, our Golden Retrievers Butler and Katie Scarlett (you'd be correct if you guessed Lane named them from her favorite book) being the highlight of the game. We (Lane and Callie) even continued that tradition while enrolled at Sewanee by taking foster dogs from the local shelter to cheer on the Tigers.

In more recent years, you wouldn't ever see our dad without his dogs Ajax, Cilla, and Queenie. They might have looked an odd bunch, but boy howdy they had FUN. From “helping” dad pick up litter around the falls, to the Jiffy Burger for Sunday lunch (sharing fries obligatory), to Normandy Lake for a weekend tailgate, to East Nashville or Mt Juliet for a picnic at the park with the latest creation from Bill's Sandwich Palace – Dad and his crew were inseparable.

After Dad's sudden passing, the first instinct was to try to figure out how we could keep these beloved dogs within the family; after all, how could we not keep these dogs that meant so much to our father?

But as our grief settled into the fabric of our lives, the realization that keeping the dogs for sentimental reasons while not being able to provide the life they deserve came in hard and heavy.

Grief is emotionally exhausting, but death is financially exhausting. We found the dogs a wonderful boarding facility that isn't exorbitant, where the staff adores them, they get to be together while they decompress, and they spend the day stretched out in the sun. We are working with SOAR rescue to find them a foster or adopter so they can then officially be under the rescue umbrella, but fosters are always in short supply and the dogs need to stay in boarding until that happens, which could be up to a month.

So, we are here with humility and gratitude to ask for your support to provide continued care for the wonderful dogs our dad cherished. The goal is comprised of the following costs:

•Boarding

•Additional diagnostics/Veterinary care for Cilla

•Grooming for Cilla and Ajax

•Specialty mobility/weight management food for Queenie

If it happens that projected costs don't exceed the amount raised, any remaining funds will be given to SOAR as an in memoriam donation.

We sincerely appreciate every read, every dollar, every share given to this campaign. Your time and attention to helping us honor our father means everything to us.

With love,

Lane, Callie, & Abigail