Dale’s Living Large Legacy

For those of you on our Living Large Facebook page, you might already be aware there’s been a major and traumatic change at Our Little House. My husband, Dale, passed away on November 20, 2018  – suddenly and quite unexpectedly – from a massive heart attack. I am trying to build a lasting legacy for him through rescued animals and I hope you will help.

I’m mourning deeply. For those of you who know our story, we began dating when I was 15 and he was 18. We married seven years later. I’ve literally spent my entire adult life loving the same man.

When this first happened, I didn’t think I could go on without him. I also believed the life we built here was over.

Neither was true. As any of you know who’ve lost a spouse, these are common emotions and feelings. As my wise Aunt Kathy told me on that first day, “You can go on. I’ve done it. Your mom did it. Millions of others have done it and you will do it, too.”

And while the life we built has drastically changed, it is not over. Dale’s place in Our Little House will be forever in my heart. I see him everywhere I look and I still feel the love we shared. I remember his laugh and especially the way he had with our many rescued furbabies through the years.

He was a special, gentle soul and I can only honor that love by continuing to “Live Large.” It’s too early to say what that looks like or if I will continue to live the rest of my life here or someplace else. But I know Dale would want me to continue to live a life doing what makes me happy, full of love and the hope for the future that we always shared.

Another way I hope to honor his legacy and love of our rescued furbabies is by helping other furbabies.

Our book, “Living Large in Our Little House,” will be released in paperback this spring. I’ve partnered with The Pet Connection to raise funds. Their special sanctuary houses pets that cannot be placed in homes due to age or medical and behavioral issues. The Pet Connection also helps train and rehabilitates pets, sponsors fosters and adopts pets into homes. Their training helps pet parents so their animals don’t end up in a rescue in the first place.

The Pet Connection holds an annual fundraiser in February each year at Unique Finds, a store in Overland Park, Kans. that brings goods from various cultures around the world to assist causes that need money. The fundraiser is always on the third Friday in February and this year, it falls three days after Dale’s 58^th birthday.

The fundraiser is done through auction – online and in person. More about that in next week’s post.

This year, and I hope every year hereafter, the fund will be named in Dale’s honor. What to call it? I’m not good at this sort of thing; the best I could come up with was “Dale’s Dogs,” which doesn’t fit. The Pet Connection sanctuary does house 27 dogs, but it also houses 9 cats (it can house up to 28 dogs and 12 cats), fish and even a 53-year-old turtle that needed a home when its owner died!

So, it is up to you, Living Large community, to come up with the name that will best honor Dale and describe the fund as one that benefits the animals. Submit your best entry here in the comments section on the blog before 5 p.m. central standard time on Friday, January 11.

I, along with a few close friends and family member who knew Dale best, will choose the name.

I will announce the winner here and on the Living Large Facebook page on the morning of Friday. January 11.

Here are the rules: 

 1). You must post the name you choose in the comments section on this blog by 5 p.m. CST on Thursday, January 10. Entries on Facebook or elsewhere on the Internet will not be considered.

 2). In the case of duplicate entries, the winning entry will be chosen by the first one submitted.

 3). The winner will receive a paperback edition of Living Large in Our Little House when it is released in March, which will sport a new cover, including a memorial to Dale on the back of the book. I’m sorry, overseas Living Largers, but the contest is open to U.S. residents only.

 Thank you all for being such loyal followers and readers throughout the years. Good luck!