June 1, 1963 to April 8, 2012
Our organization has lost a wonderful long time friend and volunteer. "Kip" Koontz died unexpectedly in his home April 8. We have known Kip as long as FFGR, Inc. has been in business. Kip and his spouse, J.D. came to us in the early days of our organization and adopted their first greyhound, Amelia, in early 2006. It was the beginning of a wonderful relationship that lasted through the years.
Kip and J.D. eventually adopted four greyhounds - Amelia, Fitzgerald, Brogan and Lili from our group. They spent many hours working at our meet and greet events and they helped out at numerous other events.
It was Kip who first came to us and suggested having a picnic to celebrate our hounds. For three years, Kip not only helped plan the picnics, but he was the auctioneer at our live auctions to raise money for our group. Everyone loved Kip's enthusiasm and great sense of humor. He was responsible for helping our organization raise thousands of dollars through our live auctions. Each year everyone was eager to get to the picnic to hear Kip as he made us all laugh and bid high.
For four years, Kip and J.D. organized neighborhood yard sales that also earned our organization funds. Each yard sale was fun and was more like a big neighborhood block party than a sale. He was able to channel his enthusiasm into making hard work fun and profitable.
What made Kip so unique was his unabridged love for his dogs. No one could ever say that Kip didn't love his greyhounds. They were the center of his universe. It was not uncommon to get a phone call from Kip sounding excited and happy about something one of his dogs learned to do or something funny one did. We knew that any phone call from Kip meant that he had something nice to say about his dogs.
When Amelia died unexpectedly during a dental, Kip was inconsolable. And the loss of Fitzgerald to cancer was just as devastating to him.
In recent years job changes and illness made it hard for Kip and J.D. to volunteer as often but they never lost interest in our group throughout all of their ordeals. They always were willing to help out.
Kip will be greatly missed by all of us who knew and loved him. He was a large part of our organization and his loss will leave a hole that will never be filled.
Rest in peace dear friend until we all meet one day at the bridge.
What a lovely tribute to Kip, one of the closest friends I have ever had. His greyhounds were his children, and he was absolutely devoted to them. I enjoyed many a pleasurable moment with Amelia, Fitzgerald, Lili and Brogan, and shared his pain when he and JD lost the first two. Kip was one of a kind, a warm, generous, loving, funny man who I miss terribly. Rest in peace, my dear friend.
ReplyDelete-- Tony Soltero