A Tribute to Pete’s Winter Whiley

08/14/2006

November 26, 1996 ---- July 22, 2001 at 7:45 p.m.

July 22, 2001 was a very sad day for the Hanson Family.  The day started out good and then it got tragic. About 7:30 P.M. Jennie and Bob Hanson got back from going out to eat with Gene and Zona Turja.  As they drove into their driveway, Whiley, Curtis’ dachshound ran to meet them.  They slowed way down and tooted the horn to make sure Whiley got out of the way.  Whiley’s little legs and rear end bounced down the droveway in such a cute manner.  Both Bob and Jennie commented on how cute he is. 

Well, it couldn’t have been 20 minutes later when Angie drove into the yard and we heard her van stop suddenly and Whiley was gone.  He had gotten under the tire of the van and died instantly.  One of the kids ran into the house to tell Bob and Jennie.  Then, Becky Newton came up the driveway carrying a limp, dead Dachshund.  Jennie took Whiley from her and cradled him in her arms and then laid him on the table out by the garage.  Whiley looked like he should wake up at any minute, but his eyes were clouded over and they knew he was dead.  They were all so sad.  Mandy was crying uncontrollably.  The boys, Dennis and Devon were real sad and asked if Whiley went to heaven.  They all walked around and looked sad.  Angie was so upset, she couldn’t even get out of the car and when she did, Jennie gave her a big hug and told her it wasn’t anyone’s fault.  Whiley just loved to go out to welcome cars and this time he just got too close. 

After a while they picked out a place to bury the dog.  A site under the pine trees on the north side of the driveway was chosen. Bob got a spade and dug the grave.  Devon and Dennis got a towel and wrapped Whiley in it and put him in the wagon for the funeral march out to the gravesite.  Whiley was lowered into the grave and the towel was removed.  Whiley was placed in a comfortable looking position and Bob covered him up with soil.  They all stood around not knowing what to say.  Finally Jennie said a prayer thanking God for giving them Whiley to love and enjoy for the past 4 years or more and they all hugged each other.  Each of the mourners helped to get some rocks from the rock garden near the house and they placed the rocks on Whiley’s grave so no animals would dig him up. 

The family walked back to the house and tried to go on. Jennie didn’t get much sleep that night and Bob couldn’t sleep at all.  He even went out to the gravesite and checked to make sure that Whiley was really dead.  In the morning the rocks had been replaced in the shape of a cross made out of white quartz.  Bob and Jennie couldn’t have felt any worse.  This dog was their son Curtis’ and it was there connection to him while he serves in the Air Force in Hawaii.

Monday, the 23rd was a real day of mourning.  Jennie cried a lot during the day everytime she thought of Whiley or Curtis.  Bob had to go back to work after a 3 weeks vacation and after not sleeping all night, he also had a very hard day.  When Bob got home from work, he sat in a chair outside and didn’t hardly move, then he went to bed.  Each day after went better until Ina Peterson called and asked if she could bring her female dachshund Molly over to visit with Whiley.  Jennie had to tell her that that just wouldn’t work because Whiley had died.  Ina almost started to cry on the phone and said how sorry she was about Whiley. 

Whiley was a great dog and he will be remembered for as long as the Hansons live.  They really miss his feet pitter-pattering on the flooring, his jumping up on the bed and crawling under the covers and sleeping at their feet, his poking his nose at your leg and also his sitting up on his bottom doing the patty-patty when he wanted something.

It’s August 2, 2001 and Jennie and Bob still haven’t had the heart to tell Curtis that Whiley is dead.  This is a job that they will need to do soon, but it will be hard.

The Hansons have had many animals over the years and some of them have died in accidents but this is by far the worst death of a pet that they have had to deal with.  By writing this story down, Jennie has felt healing and is dealing with the death of a true pet in an adult manner.  She never thought that the death of a pet could affect her in such a way.

Written by Jennie K. Hanson in 3rd person. August 2, 2001