Joyce Godwin

Allie is a black Labrador retriever who entered our home for the first time in 1994 in my sister-in-law Marylyn's purse. Allie, whose full name is Allie Oop, made us all happy. Of course she was my husband's and daughter's dog, but I was the one who rose night after night and made my bed next to Allie's pen so she could feel like she wasn't alone (and stop howling).

When she first moved in with us, the plan was to build a pen for her outside but that never got done and she spent all of her life inside. That is probably why she's survived this 15 years -- 105 if I understand doggie-year calculations.

Allie stood guard over all of us and every baby or child who spent time with us. Her normal sleeping place was at the foot of Jamie's bed, and when Jamie went to college, Allie continued to sleep in Jamie's room for months until I began shutting the door to keep her out. Undeterred, Allie simply figured out how to bump the door just under the door knob to make it slip the latch and open.

The youngsters of the Servati family of Van Alstyne spent a great deal of time at our house during Allie's life. Allie was a constant companion to Raigan and Kerrigan (the two oldest of four beautiful girls) from their cradle days. It was commonplace for me to enter the living room and see Raigan watching television from the floor with the top part of her body lying on Allie, as if the dog was a bean-bag chair, and Allie perfectly content. Whenever any of the girls took a nap, Allie was lying next to them in such a way that no one could get to the children unless they went through the loyal Allie Oop.

Our lives have been enriched by knowing her. I share this story as a celebration of the life of a noble friend whom we will miss greatly. It's a natural cycle for the generous people who share their lives with "man's best friend" whose only purpose in life is to please us.

Happy birthday to Phillip Cassell of Pottsboro; Candi White of Whitesboro; Darlene Howdeshell of Bonham; Tom Prather, and Peggy Shelly, of Whitewright; Mike Tamburin, and Jerry Johnson, of Bells; Jared Barnum Albert Nabors, Mary Nabors, Na'raya Wimbish and Kristy Wimbish, of Denison; Amber Arrington of Gunter; Micah Parsons; Gary Beaver, John Senecal, Pauline Walker, James Henderson, Misty Brigman, Ezekiel Brown, all of Sherman; Mary Gumm of Oxford, Miss., Glen Culp of Southmayd; James Kent of Eagle Mountain, Utah; Debra Terry of Houston.

Happy anniversary to Lee and Dorothy Francis of Bells, 64 years and Garry and Sharon Templeton of Denison.