Zach Medlin’s walk through Kiroli Park in West Monroe, Louisiana, led him to discover a hidden grave marker for a dog named Buddie, who lived from 1928 to 1941. While his Staffordshire terrier, Serena, played nearby, Medlin noticed a stone partially covered by pine straw. Upon clearing it away, he read the inscription, which described Buddie as “born a dog and died a gentleman.”
Medlin was moved by the thought of how Buddie had provided comfort to his owners during the Great Depression. Local lore suggested Buddie had been a Boy Scout mascot who saved a drowning child, but further research by Lora Peppers revealed that Buddie was actually the beloved Irish setter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Jones. The Jones family frequently brought Buddie to the park, and after his death, they chose to bury him there.
Regardless of the story behind his legacy, Buddie’s grave serves as a heartwarming tribute to a cherished dog, reminding us of the lasting bond between humans and their pets
