Sampson was a Golden Retriever that Tim's family got as a puppy in 1988.  He lived most of his life in Meservey, Iowa with Tim's parents, but came to live with Tim in 1996.  In 1999, Tim and Cathy were married, and Sampson became Cathy's pet as well.  

Sampson was diagnosed with kidney disease in late 2000, which is a common ailment of his breed.  Sampson fought diligently for the next year after receiving this diagnosis.  He truly had the spirit of a puppy in the body of an aging dog.  Toward the end, he had slowed down a great deal and was no longer able to go on the long walks we used to take him on, but we still got much enjoyment from him as he cuddled up with us on the couch, or simply accompanied us while doing yard work.

Sampson passed away peacefully in our living room the evening of October 16, 2001, after a final struggle against his disease.  He was surrounded by extended family, and until the very end did his best to let us know he loved us, even as he had a hard time lifting his head.  His absence is still very painful to us, and the amount of love we received from this dear friend is immeasurable.

This section of our website will be an ongoing photo-tribute to the life of our furry friend.  The pictures are organized in three groups:

The legend of the Rainbow Bridge is a touching story which assures that we we will be reunited with our lost pets.  You can read it here.

 We will continue to search for more pictures of Sampson, particularly from his younger days in Iowa.  We also have a few video clips that we might add as well.  Please stop back and see this tribute as it grows.  We have recently located some of Sampson's earliest photos -- come back in the near future to see them!