Gene McGuire

Born: December 2, 1934

Died: March 19, 2001

When I started to breed my Bedlington Terrier Nikki I was looking for a breeder that had a stud. I had contacted a couple of breeders, but there was one that I really connected with, her name was Gene McGuire. We had talked about using her stud Cole, and I said that when I was ready to breed her in a few months that I would give her a call. I had spoken with another person from the Bedlington terrier club and he knew that I was going to breed Nikki. A few months later I received a call from Bob and he said that Cole had just won his championship and if I wanted the best Bedlington to breed that I needed to contact Gene. Well, I did get in touch with Gene again and we discussed this. Gene was different from the other breeders. She was helpful and so kind and not judgmental. This was not the typical response I had received from other breeders. Gene lived in Illinois as do I and we knew that it would be easy and close. I never knew what that one phone call would end up being. Gene and I hit it off and I just thought that she was a wonderful person. I only wished that we would have lived closer because I learned so much from her. She was helpful, kind, considerate and so compassionate when it came to her Bedlingtons and also her friends. Gene had been in the breeding business for several years, and had several champions from her dogs. One of them was a Gemar’s Lord Jeffrey that I heard was beautiful. She also had several other dogs in her lifetime. She knew a good Bedlington when she saw one, because she knew the breed. I believe that her last champion was named for a Cole Porter song, Gemar’s Anything Goes. Cole was the winner of the 1996 Specialty in Minneapolis – the competition was tough, but Cole and Gene were tougher. Gene loved her dogs more than anyone else that I knew – well except maybe me. I think that is one reason why we cared so much for each other. We knew that we both loved our “kids”.

The friendship that we gained over the last several years was one that will always be close to my heart. Even though a lot of our friendship was spent over the phone, through emails and a few visits with the dogs, it was one that was strong and greatly appreciated. Gene had a way of making people feel so comfortable and welcome around her. She would give so much to her friends and you felt privileged to be one of them.

Gene had been ill for some time and on March 19th, 2001 Gene died in her sleep in her home leaving behind several wonderful dogs and many friends that loved her and were glad to have known her. God Bless You Gene – you are truly missed by your friends and by Cole, Kiwi and your other Bedlingtons that were left behind. The following was read at Gene’s funeral and it really says it all.

"Death is nothing at all. I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to each other, that we still are. Call me by my old familiar name, speak to me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of a shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well." By Canon Henry Scott Holland