Luke

My friend Luke Weaver died today
His best friend Bubba called to say
We shared memories of our friend
A friend to all who came his way

Luke had a gift for friendship
And a gift for fun
If you were with him you’d be laughing
As sure as you were breathing

Just to see him made you smile
That big body with a bigger grin
And in that body a heart larger still
Luke meant laughter to be shared by all

Luke saw the fun in every thing
In the foibles of others and of himself
Would drag up memories from shared events
Of dogs and trials and hunts and bars all over

Of characters human, canine and equine
From shared times past
Like Pete Hicks and Freddie Epp
And their sons Joe and John and Ed and Roy and countless others 

While Luke was big in every way
Yet he was an athlete very agile and could he dance
He rode horseback like a jockey
(Ask any who raced him on Thumbsucker)

He bred some good dogs, mostly bitches
Named them better: Pink Cadillac and Red Neck Woman
My Bud Lite and Magic Moment
Luke bred and started and Bubba trained them

Luke gave to trials in many ways
His farm at Jackson as grounds for many
Old Atlanta ran there for years
Luke marshaled and judged and put out birds

He judged all over the Continent
Open and amateur
All-Age or Shooting Dog or AKC
From Arkansas to Manitoba, Florida to North Dakota 

He loved Bubba Moreland as a brother
And Big George as a second father
And John Thompson and Mike Cheely
The Lee County trial was his favorite

He loved the Continental, Derby and All-Age
The Florida, Southeastern and the Masters
Won the last three, helping Bubba at Chickasaw and Nonami
And he loved the Amateur Free-For-All at Union Springs we judged together

Luke was a very religious man
His faith was deep and he lived it
Did not miss church or Sunday School
Was sure of a Heaven waiting there 

We often talked as we grew older
Of our ends coming swift and sure
Luke’s only fear was dependence on others
To care for him-now that fear’s gone

Farewell Luke
I’ll surely miss you
As will your host of friends
All of whom love you as you loved them