Daisy May Reed, a German shepherd-whippet mix, departed this life peacefully on Tuesday, March 15^th, 2022 in Norfolk, VA. She was 13-years-old, just a few weeks shy of her 14^th birthday. Her enthusiasm for life and her unconditional love will be deeply missed. It’s difficult to put into words the sheer joy she brought into the lives of her human family members: Mama, Daddy, older brother Will, and older sister Rebecca.

Daisy was born on April 1^st, 2008 in Norfolk, VA. She was adopted by her family from the Norfolk SPCA at the age of 8-weeks-old. She was quite mischievous from the start. The giveaway clue was the cast on her left lower leg. She’d broken that leg when she fell down the stairs. But one would never know. Daisy grew into her innate whippet frame. She was incredibly fast and enjoyed chasing family members and friends around the house outside, inside the house in the hallway, or on the beach. Her long legs and spindly tail worked to her advantage. Inside, she would bounce off the baseboard of the kitchen while pursuing her catch. On the beach, she seemed weightless, those puppy toes barely touching the sand in pursuit of a tennis ball or her Daddy. She was a great runner. Daisy was also a great swimmer, naturally so. She loved to swim with her sister and Daddy. She even enjoyed kayaking.

The beach was her favorite place, other than the kitchen that is. Daisy loved food. She’d been known to counter surf, one of her favorite pastimes. If you left a whole pizza or a piece of chicken on the counter unattended, that was more than enough of an invitation for her to begin her endeavor. Her back legs were tall enough to propel her front legs and paws onto the countertop for a full view. She’d consume anything left too close to the edge. Beggin’ Strips were among her favorite treats. She also loved Milkbones and Bully sticks. Daisy had been known to even sneak off to the neighbor’s apartment and steal a piece of meat off the grill. She enjoyed taking naps on the sofa and various beds throughout the house. She enjoyed lounging in the backyard.

Daisy was a wonderful listener and a close friend. She also leaves behind her younger dog sister Winnie, with whom she shared the last six years of her life. Daisy was guilty of eating Winnie’s food at times. She was also prone to jealousy (for affection), sometimes instigating a quarrel. Overall she was a loving sister.

Daisy will be welcomed into the pearly gates and eternal bliss by her fellow dog family members: Misty, Zelda, and Martin. She taught us all how to embrace life, to not take trivial things too seriously, to go to the beach every chance you can, to swim hard and play hard, to sleep deeply, to eat like you mean it, and to above all love without bounds. Her family is confident that she left this world with no regrets. She completed the mission her Maker had for her. And she did it with excellence. She has rightly earned her imperishable angel wings. We look forward to the day when we see her again. ~