CSKC Member Rainbow Bridge

The first time I met Susan Hackathorn, we became instant friends. It was hard not to like her positive energy, and anyone with dogs was ok in my book. I was judging a fun match for the club down in Fountain. She had two Chinese Crested puppies; I thought they were so cute. She was getting into the competitive dog thing, and it was her first match. We started talking and had many great adventures together from that day forward. We had a drive to a show that was 14 hours one way, and we always had things to talk about. We went to shows together and other shenanigans. It hit me at the last meeting after I came out from the board meeting that my friend was not there to save me a seat.

For those of you who did not know her very well, she was extremely generous. She would do anything for you if she could. At the same time, she did not like to be a burden to anyone if she did not have to be and found it hard to ask for help for herself. She was just such a proud woman. She spent many holidays with me for Christmas parties, Thanksgiving, and Easter. She always was my wingman and would come early to help me set up. She loved to shop, and we also did our share of that. Everyone knows that she did love to bring the snacks for the Kennel Club and did that for years. She did it because she loved to cook. She was a great cook; if you ever had the pleasure of having anything she made, you were lucky. She would sneak my dog’s food under the table and say, “ok, just one more bite.”

She volunteered for many years with our shows as a ring steward and, in later years, at our catalog table. She never complained no matter what health issues she might be having and always had a smile on her face. Her positive attitude and kind words to all the exhibitors were always the only way she knew how to do anything. She had a fantastic sense of humor and a positive way of looking at everything. After her house burned, she said, “Well, now I get new appliances.” I kept waiting for her to fall apart, but she never did. She just stayed strong and moved forward. I don’t think I ever heard her raise her voice. We had so much fun together when we were together, and I can say she will be genuinely missed. I know that she is finally with her husband, together again, and her dogs. Our club has lost a very special member but gained an angle.