Wheezer Pendleton, age 9+, passed away quietly in his fenced yard on Saturday morning May 16 after a brief, as in overnight, illness. Descendants not being an option, "he" leaves behind only his long-time partner Striper. Wheezer apparently ventured early out of his home, lay down in his customary spot to warm up in the morning sunshine and nodded off for eternity. His family discovered him still lying in the grass in the heat of the day as they returned from picking up their son David at college. Mr Pendleton suspected something was amiss as soon as he spotted the goat lying on its side with its feet pointed uphill and its right eye wide open staring up at the sun.
Wheezer officially belonged to Daniel but he will be missed by everyone in the family. He was a friendly if somewhat reserved animal, always ready to play butting games or to nibble on a zipper pull. Although he never matched Striper's remarkable talent for untying himself when tethered in the yard, Wheezer was a master at escaping from fenced enclosures and could often be found wandering in the road or munching in the garden while Striper watched wistfully from the confines of their pen.
When the weather turned warm and the grass began to grow this spring Wheezer began losing weight instead of gaining so his family suspected that the end might be near. Mrs Pendleton noted however that on the day before he died Wheezer was particularly enjoying the spring grass under the ash tree while Striper, who had as usual unhooked his tether from the fence, was rampaging through the recently planted garden.
Mr Pendleton officiated at an informal service on the garden path. "The dirt was easier to dig there", he observed. Escorted by David, Wheezer rode to the grave site in a wheelbarrow with stops along the way to admire the pansies and for photos next to the flowering Clematis vine he liked so much.
Memorial gifts of flowers would be appreciatively consumed by Wheezer's surviving partner Striper.
Wheezer Pendleton, age 9 (or maybe 10)
