Tootsie Rose Kaminga was born on April 14, 1997 and passed away on March 29, 2007 after several months of failing health. Her life ended 16 days before she would have had her tenth birthday. Tootsie was adopted by PJ and Bill Kaminga of Portage, Michigan who hold many fond memories of her within their hearts and miss her presence very deeply. Tootsie is no longer in pain which seemed to be a constant thing for her. We tried to comfort Tootsie the best we knew how but we just ran out of options and had to make the ultimate decision to help her the best way we knew how!

Tootsie loved lying on the back of the couch and watching the birds and squirrels and the neighborhood children playing outside. She also loved riding in the car, seated on mama's or papa's lap as we traveled.

Of course our special little girl slept in the biggest and best bed in the house which is a queen size bed. We would swing by the hours on an outdoor swing and Tootsie just loved that!

It was impossible to keep the pillows on the couch as Tootsie would gently push them on to the floor with her nose to make more room for her to stretch out for her short siestas, that is if mom was sitting right beside her. Of course if mom left the room Tootsie would be only one step behind. Her comfort zone seemed to be when she was being held in mom's arms and being rocked.

Tootsie had her own leather chair in mom's office where she laid and watched mom sew or Pa Pa play on the computer. She blessed our lives in so many ways and our special memories of her will continue to live on within our hearts until eternity comes for us.

We want to say a special thank you to Dr. Seele Rotigel for the special care she provided for Tootsie for the last four years and also the Kalamazoo Animal Hospital for helping Tootsie when her time here on earth was up. She has now crossed that golden bridge into doggie heaven and is no longer suffering.

A big thank you goes out to Artis Freye who operates "Precious Pets" at Betzler Funeral Home for her kindness, gentleness and professionalism in caring for Tootsie's needs and the emotional support that was so obvious to us.

Most of all, we wish to thank Lisa Wallace  with the Animal Placement Bureau in Lansing, Michigan who helped make the last four years the happiest four years of our lives when Tootsie was made available to us to adopt into a permanent and loving home with no more abuse, only unconditional love!  We wish to also thank Cheryle Thompson who loved and cared for Tootsie until she placed Tootsie in our arms on that special Friday evening in January of 2003. Tootsie added so much love to our lives and we miss her so much!

We will love you forever baby girl,

Mama and Papa