LIHUE — They came together Sunday afternoon, about 25 men and women, to remember Jeddy and celebrate his life. They described him as noble. Loyal. Patient. Loving. Calm. They told stories of the impact he had on their lives, how he
LIHUE — They came together Sunday afternoon, about 25 men and women, to remember Jeddy and celebrate his life.
They described him as noble. Loyal. Patient. Loving. Calm. They told stories of the impact he had on their lives, how he made them feel better, how he helped them and brought joy on so many days.
There were cards on the table, and flowers. There was a cake with Jeddy’s pictures and his ashes in packets for people to take and spread or keep in his memory.
“Everybody here knows Jeddy,” Karin Stoll said.
There was laughter. There were smiles and hugs. And there were tears, too, as they remembered their friend, known as the “Jedster,” who surfed, rode horses and was often a passenger of planes.
“He touched so many people, he was so busy here,” Stoll said. “He worked full time. He earned his Kibble.”
Jeddy, you see, was a dog. Not just any dog. He was a Jack Russell terrier. Before he died on Feb. 28, he touched the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people in his 15 years on Earth.
He belonged to Stoll, a clinical social worker who provides therapy services. For clients who came to her office on Akahi Street, it was Jeddy who often sat with them while they waited for their appointment. It was Jeddy who calmed their nerves. It was Jeddy who helped them overcome anxiety and fears. Simply put, he was part of the healing process.
“It was a pleasure knowing him. He added to our lives,” said one person who attended Sunday’s remembrance of Jeddy’s life.
“He was a dog of few words,” said another.
Jackie Mierta, a friend of Stoll’s said Jeddy was really in charge of the office.
“He was the guard here, but he also came in and helped console the patients. He was a cool guy,” she said.
Harwood Benton III attended the celebration with his wife Joni, who works with Stoll, and their dog, also a Jack Russell, Sassy.
“Jacks are unique dogs,” he said. “They’re very bright and very loving.”
They’re the perfect breed to sit with clients and provide comfort.
“That’s what Jeddy did,” Benton III said.
Stoll got Jeddy when he was a puppy. The two quickly bonded and he took just as quickly to his role in her office. eople visiting Stoll could be struggling with pain, and it was Jeddy who made a difference.
They were happy to see him and he was happy to see them. He would sit in their lap, lick their face or take up his station at their feet.
“This animal who had so much pleasure and so much joy,” Stoll said.
She laughed as she told a story that when people came to the office, it wasn’t a big deal if she wasn’t there.
“But if Jeddy wasn’t here, all hell broke loose,” she said, smiling.
It wasn’t just in the office, either. Jeddy would sometimes stay with clients overnight or for a weekend.
“Everybody got attached to him,” said Stoll, who also started Healing Horses years back as another way for animals to assist people.
She’s had many dogs, including three more at home, but Jeddy stood out. He was her close friend and confidant. Soulmates, if you will. For proof, take a look at the large portrait by Penny Nichols of Stoll and Jeddy in the front of the office. You can see the connection between this woman and her dog with those deep, soulful eyes.
“He was my best bud, my right-hand man,” Stoll said. “He was superb.”
• Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
