Skeezie is in Doggy Heaven.

Skeezie

Age 15, ~1968 - June 20, 1983

A sweet, mild-mannered and patient member of the family.

Nickname: Skeezix, Rex, X, Kleenex

Skeezie was a patient, loving, and scruffy apricot poodle. He came to our family before I was born, and he was with us throughout our childhood. My parents rescued him from a breeder who intended to send him to the pound because he suffered from epilepsy and had frequent seizures.

What he lacked in smarts, he made up for in his gracious disposition. He cheerfully endured years of ridiculous torment from my brother Ken and me, including a multicolored mohawk haircut, treat-laden traps crafted of yardsticks and laundry baskets, and hats made of doilies and dixie cups. At dinnertime, I enjoyed luring him into eating gravy-covered lima beans, which he slurped up and then spit out - gravy removed, beans unscathed.

We believed that he was hopelessly smitten with Twirp-o, our long-haired tuxedo kitty whose flirtatious and aloof demeanor left him suffering an unrequited love. He spent a good deal of his time in his "Castle", a hulking, homemade 70's coffee table. (You can see the Castle in the photo above.)

When he was still a puppy, mom made a stuffed-animal version of Skeezie. It looked so much like him that it confused him. He huffed and puffed at it, and never did become comfortable with his doppelganger. He was infinitely patient and mild, and bit me only once - when I completely deserved it. (I still have the scar on my nose that reminds me not to pull a puppy's ears.)

Later, when dad got sick, Skeezie provided tireless comfort and companionship to mom, sitting in her lap wherever she was in the house; I think he knew she needed the extra TLC.

Skeezie was a truly patient and giving little soul, and I miss him still.