Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest

Hope. Love. Home. Sanctuary

Archives for May 14, 2023

Celebrating Jody on her Birthday

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Today, Mother’s Day, is when we celebrate Jody’s birthday. Though she is no longer physically with us, we held a celebration in her honor for all of the other chimpanzees, and they thoroughly enjoyed the watermelon bowl themed party (photos to follow).

As I was taking photos of Jody’s group during their watermelon bowl forage, I noticed that Missy had gone to the spot where we planted lilac bushes and trees. The spot where Jody is now buried.

It’s very probably that Missy was checking the area to see if she missed some food, but I like to think she was also saying happy birthday to her friend:

Thank you to everyone who have sponsored days and made donations in Jody’s honor and who have sent us amazing heartfelt cards and messages of condolence. I love hearing how people were touched by her life and her death.

Today, we made some changes to Jody’s page on our website to include a donation link to give specifically in memory of Jody for those who wish to do so.

If you scroll to the bottom of Jody’s page, you can see that it is open for comments, so please do feel free to leave a message their about Jody or in her memory. We really appreciate how many people are grieving for her.

 

Now for those watermelon bowl photos…

Annie:

Foxie:

Jamie:

Burrito:

Dora:

The bovines also had a great day! They were released onto the upper pasture for spring grazing!

In loving remembrance of Jody

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Heartfelt thanks to long-time friend of the sanctuary, Tracy Headley, for also sponsoring this special day in memory and celebration of beautiful, beloved Jody:

“In loving remembrance of Jody. In our hearts today and always.”

We chose to celebrate Jody’s honorary birthday on Mother’s Day in honor of the nine children she gave birth to while in biomedical research. Today would have been Jody’s 48th birthday and today we will celebrate her and all the mothers and their children in her family and sanctuary home, just as we always have. As Tracy lovingly shared, “today and always.”

Jody:

Negra:

Foxie:

Missy:

Annie and Jo:

Jamie:

Burrito and Jody:

Burrito, Jody, Negra, Jamie, Annie, Foxie and Missy:

Happy Birthday and Happy Mother’s Day, Jody. We love you more than words could ever say.

in memory of Jody Chimpanzee on her birthday

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Tobin sponsored today in honor of Jody’s birthday celebration prior to us losing Jody just two weeks ago. Ever thoughtful, Tobin sent in a new message to share on this celebratory but also somber day,

Dear Friends of our beloved Jody:

As was the tradition at the CSNW, Jody’s birthday was celebrated every year on Mother’s Day. Those of us who loved her and rejoiced in her very being will continue to do so, in our hearts, minds, and souls. As we grieve, let us remember the look of joy on her beautifully expressive face, whether ascending the towers on Young’s Hill or in foraging the bounty of her land. Let us remember her maternal devotion to Negra, Annie, Missy, Foxie, Jamie, and Burrito. Taken from her mother in infancy, and deprived of nurturing the children she conceived, Jody became the den mother to her troop of orphans.

In my original statement for Jody’s birthday, I had written an open letter addressed to her. I told her that I hoped that the lilacs would be in bloom for her birthday, and I told her that I was so pleased when, somehow, she would appear in my dreams.

As I have read the many messages in the comments section of the Sanctuary website, I have been moved by the many words of condolence to Jody’s survivors and caregivers. One message especially holds meaning to me: “May her memory be blessed.”

Surely our memories of Jody are blessed, as we who love her were blessed by her presence in our lives.

And when I read of that Hebrew blessing, I thought of Jody and the words of a poem, also written in Hebrew:

For Thou, the Giver of Life,
created me in my inmost being;
Thou created me together
in my mother’s womb

Where can I go from Thy Spirit?

Our beloved Jody, your memory is blessed.

– Tobin Kerry –