Text Box:         Trek Dog Padgett was a friend, daughter, mother for 16 1/2 years. She died this evening, June 10th, surrounded by her human mom and dad (Bill and Bett) and three of her children. She was preceded in death by her mother, Skye and her father, Bill Dog who was Purina Champion Sheep Herding in early 1990's.   Trek lived a useful life working as a sheep herder and probably terrorizing sheep all over North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. She once ‘herded’ a herd of Barbados sheep from Charlottesville Virginia to the Tennessee border. It is said that WORKING dogs can claim the title ‘Dog’ after their first name.   Some of her favorite past times were retrieving sticks out of the water in the ponds at Umstead State Park and in the ocean at Sunset Beach and Bird Island. She also enjoyed catching Frisbee and keeping the three younguns her human mom and dad made her keep.   Trek came into our lives on December 26 1992. Mik, our first Border Collie, was killed tragically on Christmas Day  (the same year, Bett’s Dad died on Easter Sunday). As her human grandmother’s next door neighbors in Sunset Beach came home from Christmas lunch Milk was drinking water from a puddle in the road. Although they saw her, they thought she would move out of the way, but she didn’t. She lived for a few minutes and died in Bill’s arms. We were so distraught that on the trip home we thought about missing the pitter-patter of paws in the house and decided to get another Border Collie right away. Wondering what we should name her, we thought that Mik’s death was part of our journey in life. In many countries a journey is called a ‘trek’ and that’s how her name came to be. Trek has led us on a miraculous journey for these 16 1/2 years and for that we are grateful. We have had her for much longer than most BCs live.   She will be remembered by many who visited the house at meetings, students who came for music and dogs and their human moms and dads from her days hiking at Schenk Forest. She will be missed by her immediate family, Bill, Bett, Ceilidhe, Star and Tre and also her ‘brother’ Will and his family.   So long, Trek. We are thankful for all the gifts you gave us and will remember many good times & memories over the years, your total loyalty, your compulsive work ethic, your intuitive compassion and the great kids you leave behind. We have learned a lot from you and we will find a way to carry on.                                      We will miss you ♥ Bett, Bill, Ceilidhe, Star and Tre