2015 in Review: In Memoriam

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2015, DogTipper takes a look back at some of the high-profile pals to those with paws who we said farewell to this year. Forever with us thanks to the songs and screen images which they have left behind, the memory of their compassion for dogs and cats will live on in the hearts of animal lovers.

Country music star Lynn Anderson, who climbed to the top of the charts with her hit single (“I Never Promised You) A Rose Garden,” is fondly remembered for cultivating a better tomorrow for our four-legged friends in need. In life the singer lent her voice to a Stop Animal Cruelty initiative to place harsher penalties on abusers of dogs, cats and horses in the state of North Dakota, and her passing was marked with a request for donations to two of her favorite organizations– Stray Hearts Animal Shelter in Taos, New Mexico and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue in Nashville, a non-profit which she frequently helped as a foster.

Lynn Anderson with Waylon, one of the many dogs from Proverbs 12:10 Animal rescue which she fostered as they waited for a forever pet parent:

Gone too soon, 22-year-old reality personality Linsey “Jade” Berardi (who starred in season 12 of the Oxygen network series Bad Girls Club) wanted to create a better reality for our furry friends during her lifetime. To honor her commitment to paws causes her family requested donations to animal shelters in lieu of flowers.

Thanks to actor James Best, (who fans will remember as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on The Dukes of Hazzard), a basset hound in a pound had the chance to make the leap from shelter to stardom. A friend to all Fidos, the actor rescued the rover and convinced producers to give the dog the role of the Sheriff’s canine companion, Flash. Always ready with a treat for any four-legged fan he would meet, when he passed away his family requested donations to local humane societies in lieu of flowers.

A member of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Wayne Carson wrote or co-wrote such iconic tunes as “Always on My Mind,” “The Letter” and “She’s Acting Single (I’m Drinking Doubles.)” When the talented songsmith passed on in July his request for donations to Southern Cross Boston Terrier Rescue to help write a new chapter in the lives of dogs in need.

“Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough.” This quote from Peter Pan could describe the life of actor and choreographer Roland Dupree, who gained fame as the live action model for The Boy Who Never Grew Up in the Disney animated classic. An actor who starred alongside such Hollywood heavyweights as Jimmy Stewart, Bing Crosby and Donald O’Connor, Dupree would go on to teach dance moves to Juliet Prowse, Olympian Peggy Fleming and the dance double for Jennifer Beals in Flashdance. When he wasn’t in the dance studio, the joy that his adopted dogs would bring to his life had Dupree dancing on a cloud. When he passed away in June donations were requested for the rescue that had once cared for his barking buddies, Watermelon Mountain Ranch in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

As Officer Pete Malloy he kept the streets of L.A. safe on the long-running series Adam-12, and in real life actor Martin Milner helped to keep homeless dogs and cats safe. Over the years the TV star acted as a volunteer at many of the San Diego Humane Society‘s adoption events, and in 1989 he and his four-pawed pal Pearl (a Shih Tzu) played a role in raising funds for the non-profit at the organization’s Fur Ball.

As a co-creator of The Simpsons he made us laugh, and as a creator of a better tomorrow for both people and pets Sam Simon brought tears of joy to our eyes. The founder of The Sam Simon Foundation, as he faced his final battle Simon thought not of himself, but rather of those who needed his help, and when he passed away he left a large portion of his fortune to a variety of charities.

The following tribute video was shown during a recent Last Chance for Animals gala:

An English Bulldog who held a Guinness World Record, Tillman also held a top spot in the heart of dog devotees. The skilled skateboarder and surfer often entertained crowds at pet adoption events and Bark in the Park baseball games which raised funds for rescue organizations.

Shortly after his passing, two-and four-legged fans gathered to remember Tillman, as seen in this report from CBS Los Angeles:

A talented tail-wagger whose charm helped the silent screen homage The Artist win a coveted golden statue, Uggie was a canine with a heart of gold. Over the years the Jack Russell Terrier rode with adoptables from L.A. Animal Services on a Beverly Hills Pet Care Foundation float in the Rose Parade; pitched the option of pet adoption at the San Diego Padres’ Dog Days of Summer game; and even the Chopard bow tie that the celebrity Spot donned for his appearance at the Academy Awards benefited dogs and cats in the care of The Amanda Foundation. The famous Fido also happily took on a supporting role when he attended a presentation honoring the Mayo Clinic’s Caring Canines, and when he acted as a spokesdog for The Humane Society of the United States’ Pets of Valor Award.

As the patriarch of the Bradford brood he provided TV viewers with sustenance for the soul each week on the classic TV dramedy Eight is Enough, and in real life actor Dick Van Patten provided sustenance for the family dog and cat as the co-founder of a line of pet food. Van Patten also launched National Guide Dog Month to raise awareness and funds for American organizations which support or train service dogs.

Photo Credit: Amazon Proverb 12:10 Animal Rescue and Official Lynn Anderson Facebook; Todd Wawrychuk/A.M.P.A.S.; PR NewsFoto