Published: September 05, 2008 03:14 pm            

THE ISLE FILE: Remembering a man and his dogs

As hard as it is to imagine Grand Island without Bob Carr … It was harder still to imagine Bob Carr without his dog.

Full disclosure: For some 20 of their 63 years as man and wife, Bob and Joanne Carr lived about six doors away. It seemed closer. Hardly a day went by that we weren’t extracting somebody named Carr from our basement, our refrigerator, our pool, our garage or what passed for our garden. Often the somebody had four legs. Their retriever regarded any body of water as a personal testing ground.

And yet through the benevolent chaos which was having this eight-Carr family for neighbors, the image that endures is a silhouette at twilight, Bob Carr walking his dog. Soggy retriever aside, usually it was a beagle, nose keenly to the ground, determining who had gone before.

“So dignified,” our Joe said from Central Pennsylvania, his first words upon hearing of “Mister Carr’s” passing at the age of 85.

“Quiet dignity,” said one of the speakers at last Saturday’s memorial.

Two voices, 200 miles apart, no consultation, same recollection.

By the time we got here, we knew Bob only as a car salesman, a man of his word who defied the stereotype of that profession. Turned out he had been a draftsman, working in fields vital to our nation’s growth and survival. He helped design planes that went straight up, quite a leap from his beginnings in parts of Cattaraugus County best described as “six miles south of Resume Speed.”

Now, the considerable clan gathered – preachers and politicians, restaurateurs and reporters – and the words came hard, even though most agreed that they would gladly accept the cards life dealt him: 85 good years, a couple of difficult months, a unified family including in-laws still thanking him “for helping make becoming a Carr so easy.”

There were multiple references to maple syrup, any waste of which Mister Carr considered an offense against nature. To us, it seemed odd that there were virtually no mentions of dogs, just one passing reference to a “Gus,” nothing else. (In the harsh reality of lifespans, there were several in succession.) Perhaps it was that the family took this affinity for granted, looking on the two, as they appeared in the twilight, as one.

Condolences to all, and compliments to the chefs, as well.

n PREVIEW: Congratulations to former Viking punter Brett Kern on making the final cut with the Denver Broncos, who open their season Monday night. Next week’s File intends to chronicle all from our Isle who have played for pay in any athletic endeavor. Suggestions?

Isle File idea? E-mail pollyndoug@hotmail.com.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.