Lucy Elizabeth Wyrtzen
August 7th, 2003 – December 15th, 2022
Lucy was born in Pennsylvania on August 7th, 2003 and spent over 18 years thriving alongside her loving family.
It was soon after she was born that her dad and two already obsessed siblings (who worked so hard to convince their parents to get Lu over the past few years – including developing a slideshow) Brady and Meg drove to pick her up in PA. It’s still up for debate who landed on the name Lucy (depending on whether you ask Meg or Brady) but it was without a doubt the perfect name for her. Lucy, Lu, Lunatic, Loopity, Lucy Goosey, Old Lady Lu, and a million other nicknames. I think we can settle on the fact that it was of course inspired by a family favorite, the Beatles.
To know Lucy was to love her, or to fear her (again, depending on who you were talking to). She showed her spirit from the start and let us know that she was no ordinary dog. She was a fiercely loyal dog who wasn’t just going to bond with anyone. Lucy spent her schooldays listening along to her mom whistling and cleaning around the house, or yelping/crying by the garage door when she was left alone for a bit. But the yelps were short lived, as she greeted her family (and some close friends that made the list) with excitement each and every time they arrived home. She’d run in circles or roll over on the rug by the garage or stand on top of the couch till you came through the front door, letting you know she spotted you from the second you got off the bus or opened the garage.
Lu spent the first ten years of her life running the show (and an extraordinary number of laps) around her fenced in pool yard (though she’d occasionally sneak out or dig under, causing Meg extreme panic/anxiety for years) on Winslow Rd in Duxbury. She never was a fan of swimming, though she gave it a try a few times (thanks, B) and preferred to instead watch guard over the swimmers from nearby (either on her favorite step of the deck or right beside the pool, looking to cool down with a splash potentially).
In 2012, Lucy began her retirement. She traded in her pool yard for her custom cushioned window seat on the Cape or her perch on the window sill overlooking the Zakim bridge at Strada. It was then that she began getting spoiled with two walks a day by her parents. Her final few years were spent at Vesta where her walks (in between her daily Storrow Drive traffic reports – pictured below) soon increased to three times a day. Early mornings and late nights were a dad specialty but afternoons were all Ma, until she became too old and needed to be carried by her dad every time she went out.
Lu never lost her pep right up until the end. She’d also do her very best to perform her latest trick, fetch, which she proudly learned at the age of 17 mid pandemic, whenever someone was willing to play. Sure, she’d stop to cough, but she’d be right back at it. A true lover of life. Unforeseen perks came along with the pandemic like being able to spend an incredible amount of time with Lucy while staying home for months on end and being able to take her on vacation when we stay local at airbnbs.
Just about a year before we said goodbye, Lu pranked us all, making us think (including the vet, etc.) that her time was in fact then – but we got the greatest gift, 8 more months with her. It was then that the spoiling became extreme. All the love all the cuddles everything she wanted (as did her family) – this was her “bonus time” if you asked any of us.
We think she purposefully stuck around long enough to meet her brother Ryan and his wife Julia’s newborn baby (who we learned they were expecting, the night we were originally saying goodbye to Lucy months earlier). Though never to be trusted or left alone (due to her anxious/unpredictable nature) with a baby or kid or adult that doesn’t know her – her whole demeanor would shift when the baby would arrive in his carriage for time at Nana and Bapa’s. She’d scope out the carriage, make sure everyone was settled, and become visibly worried if the baby cried. Her final stint as a fierce protector.
In an effort to bring her life full circle, Lucy spent her final morning with Brady, Meg, and her parents at Duxbury Beach – her hometown stomping grounds. She’d often come her for walks on the bridge with her family (like the old Christmas morning walk tradition) and it brought all of us peace to be back there with her as we prepared to say goodbye. Prepared as could be we later gathered in a quiet room at her lifelong vet in Plymouth (Lucy would like to thank her parents for all the miles and hours spent driving to Plymouth from Boston or the Cape just so she could be comfortable at her familiar spot).
Those final moments are as hard as you’d expect. But I also think they’re some of the most important ones we share with our animals. Our dogs spend their entire lives being a source of comfort to their loving family, and we owe them the very same – final moments included. It was later on that we found out from the Vet that twelve employees had all stopped what they were doing to come say their own final goodbye to Lucy before she joined us in the room. Lu left her mark. Sometimes in the form of biting (sorry folks, Lu does send all her love to any friends that she drew blood from) other times in the form of endless cuddles and kisses.
There is truly nothing more pure than the unconditional love a dog provides their humans and they do it over and over and over again – with the same amount of thrill. For that, her family is forever grateful. We love you Lu!