Sally wrote this about her:
"Rita Cocker and I met in 1997 at the Pekingese Show Ring at Cruft's Dog
Show in Birmingham, England! She, a veteran breeder/judge, I, a total novice,
having just acquired a Pekingese, by accident, when he was left on our doorstep
in the worst blizzard of the century!
She immediately adopted me, and we became lifelong friends!
One irony we discovered was that, because of her Peke poetry, she had been
invited to attend an International Poetry Seminar in Washington, the location of
which was a block from my house! I think we both felt we were meant to
meet!
Then came years of exchanging letters, cards, photos, books, gifts,
trinkets, etc. all about Pekes and for the benefit of PVPC Peke Rescue, which
had greatly impressed her from our annual reports. I had arranged for her to
become a much-valued member of the Potomac Valley Pekingese Club, and she
arranged for me to be an Overseas Patron for East Yorkshire Pekingese
Club.
Imagine my surprise, and honor, when she directed me to the opening page of
one of her trilogy of books, stories about Pekes, to see that she had dedicated
that book to me!
We shared stories about her beloved Yorkshire, but all really did center on
Pekes, from her first, as a present, when she was twelve years old, leading to
her own, well-recognized, UK Pekemoor Kennels.
She was an inspiration, honored friend and mentor, who died suddenly in
October.
We will always be grateful for the benefit of her information, stories, and
poetry, with the responsibility to share as much as possible amongst the Peke
Club members here.
Rita, a Yorkshire Lass, lives on in our thoughts, on this side of the
Atlantic, for her having shared so much with us!
Sally MacDonald, December 2012
We will all miss you, Rita--
I am so sad reading this.
ReplyDeleteI send my love to you Sally for Rita was a great friend and you do not have to live around the corner to be friends! :)
*I remember seeing those winter peke photos some time back and thinking --Ooooooo - what beauties!