Beloved pet of Sime and Nicksy. Gone to the great hamster wheel in the sky. A furry pal who will be sadly missed.

Nibbles was a great friend of mine. She was calm and gentle. If I needed a pal, she was a great one. She died yet only a while after we got her, but in that time we were great friends.

Sir Nicholas Von Gress
Born on March 14 1988, Cedar Rapids MN
Died on May 22 2002 at 11:15AM EDT at home
Wednesday 22 May 2002 1115 Hours EDT

Sir Nicholas Von Gress, passed away due to heart failure at his home.
Nicky was 14 years old when he passed away and he led a great happy life.
Nicky sired four litters with Alexis (none survived) and had two successful litters with his other mate, Toto.
He was a large Chihuahua when he was a pup.
His great grandson, Mighty Mouse is the twin image of Nicky when he was a pup.

In all of his long years Nicky never hurt anyone or any other animal. Was always there for you.
All of his children, grandchildren and yes even to the 5th set of great grand children owe their very essence to this so noble a friend.

After he was fixed he did put weight on and throughout his lives as well as ours, we dieted together.
Of course who could refuse those soulful brown eyes.
Nicky was my best food tester. He would let you know when something was not right.
He loved spaghetti more than any other pasta dish and loved it plain or with a little sauce.
His favorite was when I would make spaghetti and clam sauce.

In his later years he just lounged around with a few younger dogs on his back.
Occasionally he would get cross with his pups when they started to get the better of him.
His two daughters, who are still with us, Rita from the 1st litter and Annamarie from the 2nd liter, were most attentive to him over the last months of his life.
Always cleaning his face, helping him walking and all.

Nicky had arthritis and cataracts. His arthritis was getting worse as the years progressed and in the last few
months was at times most painful for him, that he did not want to walk and all.
His daily medications helped and Al or I would help him to go outside.
I used to spend time massaging his back and legs and all, he loved that and I would do that for time on end for him.
On April 28 Nicky suffered a seizure. Phenobarbital helped pull him out, but we could see it in his eyes that his time was near.
Last weekend (19th May), saw Nicky go downhill very fast, bleeding and all, and fluid retention could not be removed fast enough. The vet's diagnosis was not encouraging, but he was not a quitter. So we continued with his medications and finally on Wednesday 22 May 2002 at 11:15Am EDT, he took a sip of water, looked around and died in Al's arms, surrounded by his boys and girls that went from his 1st litter he sired with Toto, to his great grandchildren, His mates Alexis who is 16, blind and also in failing health and his mate Toto who is 15 years old were at his side when he passed on. I was on my way home and was hoping I could make it before he passed away. But that was not God's plan.

Nicky you know we have talked so many times, you were a great confidant and above all a great friend.
You are at the Bridge now; you are with your buddies who have gone before you.
I know you are back to your trim weight, good health and great eyesight once again.
You sadly, have joined the ranks of our boys and girls who each leave a gapping hole in our hearts and minds.
The Lord took your great, great, great, great grandson Gepetto from us June of 2001, and this year took Prancer and Beethoven just a few weeks ago.

When I left you Monday and said so long, I knew in my heart your time was coming so fast. I wish I was able to have stayed and been with you but know Al and Dr. Nicole did all they could for you.

Nicky I pray that when my time comes that the Good Lord will see fit to let me spend eternity with you and all the gang at the Bridge and also to take care of all of the animals that no human cared for or mis treated when they were on this sad rock we call earth.

We will all miss you Nicholas and I keep looking at your empty bed and am sad but then I think back and there you are health and well.
Take care my dear friend. God Bless you and Keep you and all of the animals at the Bridge, especially all of our kids safe and well.
Until we meet again all our love
Tom and Al Ambrosia
Friends of Saint Francis
A non-profit organization dedicated to the care of all of God's animal friends.
Benton PA 17814
Email: TomAmbrosia@hotmail.com
email: tom@haccp.us or tomambrosia@friendsofsaintfrancis.com
www.friendsofsaintfrancis.com
www.haccp.us
//
Something I found on the web
4 May 1993

WHERE TO BURY A DOG

But there is one place that is best of all...If you bury him in
this spot, the secret of which you must already have, he will come
to you when you call - come to you over the grim, dim frontiers of
death, and down the well - remembered path, and to your side
again.

And though you may call a dozen living dogs to heel, they shall
not growl at him, nor resent his coming, for he is yours and he
belongs there.

People may scoff at you, who see no lightest blade of grass bent
by his footfall, who hear no whimper pitched too fine for
audition, people who never really have had a dog.

Smile at them, for you shall know something that is hidden from
them, and which is well worth knowing.

The one best place to bury a dog is in the heart of his master,
his best friend.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN:

(Note "...his best friend..." was added by T.C.Ambrosia 5/4/93, no
one is a master of a dog, it really is the other way around,
T.C.Ambrosia, and you know something, that is the way it
should be, after all spell DOG backwards(TCA)).
(c)copyright 1993, 2001, 2002 by Thomas C. Ambrosia and Albert P. Ambrosia, all rights reserved.

The Rainbow Bridge Poem
Just this side of heaven is a place called the Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor.
Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we
remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.
His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers.
Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green
grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.
The happy
kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...
/-/-/
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones in the loss of your special animal friend.
We know how hard it is to say Goodbye, and especially how hard when we have to help them onto their way to the Bridge and to Him.
Take comfort that your friend is with Our Lord.
God gives us pets to help us through this hard life and to enrich our souls.
Whatever we do, do right by all of them, take care of them well, help those in shelters, the homeless the ones no one wants because they are too big, too small, to young, too old, too ill.
God in His wisdom Lends his animal friends to us for a little while and then he calls them home.
We suffer at their loss and say Why did they have to leave us so soon?
Trust in Him, for when we are given the sleep of peace, we will all again be reunited with each and everyone of our animal friends at the Bridge.
Then we will cross over to Paradise and never be separated again.

If ever you would like to chat, write, fax or email please feel free to do so.
We must help one another through the times of crisis.
It is at these hours our faith in Him is truly tested.

May Our Lord Bless you and all of your efforts, may He keep you well and may He always shine His goodness upon you and yours.
May you find in your hours the courage to help and save another one of God's animal friends to care for and to shower love and affection on.
Pax Tom Ambrosia SGS
(c)copyright 2002 by Thomas C. Ambrosia and Albert P. Ambrosia, all rights reserved.

Friends of Saint Francis of Assisi
A non-profit rescue group dedicated to the care of All God's Animal Friends
474 Ridge Road, Benton PA 17814 Tele 570-925-2614 Fax 570-925-2053
Email: TomAmbrosia@hotmail.com www.friendsofsaintfrancis.com
"Deo Popoloque Eius Servio"

For inspiration sites visit the web and go to www.rainbowbridge.com and many others.
For pet tributes: www.lavamind.com, then go to virtual pet cemetery.

My Sweet little cocker-poo, you were my best friend for almost 16 years. You were always there for me and could always bighten up my days no matter how bad I was feeling. I loved you in the purest sense of the form and would have done anything to keep you with me, but I knew you were sick and knew that it was unfair to keep you longer. What I did, I did out of love and I know that you are happy and healthly now, that you are with Birdie, and that I will be with you again one day. We will all miss you dearly. You touched our hearts with your love and kisses and we will love you always. I love you Nickster! Monica, Mike, Christi, Mommy, Jim, Baby, and Kitty Kat

I remember the moment I spotted you at the humane society, YOU WERE THE ONE! I had searched high and low for the perfect cat, I drove the kids all over for weeks looking for just the right one, no cat we saw interested me. Then I spotted YOU....long black hair...proud white chest...and what beautiful whiskers, a real looker, and you knew it too. Never did we have a cat quite like you. You would lay on Missy's bed all day on your back with your legs in the air. Stretching over and over again. What a sight! You were so soft and sweet, never in a bad mood and fit right in with our large family of animals from day one. I can still hear the chimes ringing when your long fluffy tail brushed them every time you jumped up on the counter to the cat food bowl. The chimes are still there, but silent now, nobody elses tail reaches them. I'm so sorry Nick for what happened, the guilt haunts me every day. I know we will never know for sure, but in my heart, I know it was me..I'm sorry!
There have been so many changes here since youve been gone, Baby had her babies and we have kept one. 'TEDDY BEAR' He reminds me of you, with long soft hair (but gray) and sweet as can be, he is even friends and playmates with your best friend Frisky the neighbor cat. But never, never ever will any one of our ever changing and growing family zoo be like you to us, we had you such a short time, but you stole our hearts forever! We love and miss you Nicky. I hope you are warm and safe, and waiting to see us again....I'll find you on the other side- I'll never stop looking!
Mommy, Missy, Mandy, Jacey and all your brothers/sisters: Buddy, Rookie, Blueberry, Tasha, Whiskers, Baby(who is due any day,yes again) and the littlest who never got to meet you, Teddy Bear.

Nico, we will miss you.

T. Christl, Robert, Ma, Mi, Do, JJ, Florian, Gerda, Christoph, Maria

My little rattie, Nicodemus, died of a tumor. It was benign, but it got to large, and he got too old to deal with it anymore. I'll miss him dearly. He was such a good little rat.

Nigel,
We will always love and miss you. You are now roaming the world of heaven with Tiger and all your friends. You will ALWAYS be in our hearts. Love, Mom and Dad

To my dear friend Nik, my pet cat who died on 26th March 1999 just after 14:44. I had to put him to sleep as he was in such a bad way and would have died soon anyway. He was diagnosed with FIV shortly before Christmas 1998, and since then he had always had problems with eating. Before he was put to sleep I spent a week of hell watching him ignore us, his food, everything; and sitting in the corner with his face to the wall, as if to say, "I've had enough." When the end came he couldn't even stand properly, he was so weak. He is buried at the bottom of our garden - he always loved to laze in the garden on sunny days, and it was fitting that he spent his last afternoon in the garden. I know I did him a favour, but after more than thirteen years together my life feels so empty. I will be getting another cat, but none could ever replace my bud. Rest in peace Nik.

he was our gratest monkey. we will miss him every day more.
For our children he was a good friend.

Dear Niki, We wept for you when you died, and we still weep in our hearts. You came into my life when you were a year old, and it seems like you have been gone for years now. I will always miss you, not just as a pet, but as a member of the family. We love you, Niki, and we will deeply miss you. ~@~ Niki was a little Yorkshire Terrier that my parents had bought when I was about 7. The first time I saw him, I fell in love with him. July 30th 1998, I was at band practice and my mom came and got me early. I didn't know what was going on, because she never came and got me early. She told me in the car that Niki was attacked by bigger dogs. He was in really bad shape. I didn't sleep that night and the next morning, I took off of school to be with my dog. While I was holding him, his small body went limp. At that point, I broke down crying. I couldn't stand to see my friend, my brother, and my pet die. We told the owners that they needed to do something with their dogs because it had already killed three cats, another dog, and numerous rabbits and squirrels. So they had their dogs put to sleep. We will miss you, Niki, and we'll never forget you.

Dear mickey moon mom and dad miss you very much we are so sorry that you had to go away. you will always be in our thoughts every day. meiko also misses you alot and she is always looking around the house for you. we will be together someday at the rainbow bridge. we love you very much. until we meet again micky moon love mom and dad

The most beautiful Siberean Husky I know lived with me for 6 wonderful years. Nikita Roo developed a personality in my presence after I rescued her. She learned to play and trust after years on a sled team. The first night she spent inside was the first night we had her. I knew the end was near but my vet told me there was hope. If it had been me I would have gotten a second opinion. Now I wish I had. If I had known what was going on I would have opted to take her pain away. I have moved on but I am anxiously waiting for "Rainbow Bridge". Roo-Roo, Mom and Dad love and miss you. You are always in our hearts. Run free baby. There are no boundrys any more. I know your happy and as much as I miss you, I know your home. Lots and lots of cuddles, Mom, Dad, Holly, and Brittany

Te perdi mi linda perrita, perdoname...........perdoname todo tu sufrimiento, solo esperame y te reconfortare.

Nikita a big gorgeous sable shepard, We will forever miss you old girl. Be at peace we love and miss you dearly forever. We will see you again KeeterZoos. You will always be with us. Glen Dajea and Kids

Nikka,
We miss you a lot. You were a sweet dog and fun to be with. Kasey also misses you.
Love you loads.

My darling little schnauzer girl, the stroke happened so fast. It hurt so bad to let you go, but I loved you too much to make you stay. Please wait for me and your cocker-buddy Darryl. I'll meet you at the Rainbow Bridge. Don't forget us, schnuggi.

Nikki's picture and memorial page are at http://www.cba.utulsa.edu/webteam/~kcath/www/nikki.htm

TO MY BEST FRIEND:

Your time with us was too short, but the love you gave is never-ending. We will miss you dearly, our big girl walks, our rides, our fights over the bed and the ways you rested your head. We will never forget you, your wolf like attitude, your Nikki-nuggets and the way you guarded your favorite fluffys. Mommy and daddy will miss you very much. You will always remain in our hearts and our thoughts. You are and will always be my best friend. Everyone loved you so much. You will always be Mommy's baby.

Love you always, Mommy, Daddy, Grandmas, Tara, Michael, Mariah

And everyone else who's life Nikki touched.

Thanks for all the joy you gave to us. We love you and miss you, and you will never be far from our hearts and minds. We hope you dance!

Mommy and Daddy

You were my heart and soul. I will see you again someday.

One of a faithful group of friends. Now all three are gone. They sleep together in the back yard, together as they were in life. I love you and grieve you much, my dear Nicky, and hope to see you again someday.

People make you promises they'll never keep- Soon you'll know why people say, "Talk is cheap! “Life resembles one big compromise But don't ever lose that light in your eyes Don't ever lose that light in your eyes." Sometime down the line you'll face the judgement day... When the angels look at you...what will you say? They've got a way of knowing who qualifies; just let 'em see that light in your eyes... Lexi, you had your mama's eyes. But the only one left to remember you is me. I remember so much and I miss you even more. I love you baby, you held on so tight when you were so sick, you finally succumbed to your life-long sickness that day so long ago. I hope you're loved wherever you are. Fly with the angels, my Lexi girl.

Nimh will always be remembered to me as the most beautiful and kind pet I have ever known. I'd never had a pet rat before, and though I've had a few since, not one has been able to replace her. She is still sorely missed. This is a memorial to Nimh, a loving rat.

She was the Grace Kelly of dogs. The dog who took the name of a cat. Miss Independent, "I'll do it my way." She was beautiful, graceful, had a couple of bad habits for sure (snacking), and We all miss her and love her forever. We will all (Mom, Dad, Michael, Diane, Beverly and Emrys) be with you again some day. We will never forget our little princess.

To our beautiful white husky, Nina. How we miss your howl talk, & wagging your whole bum, instead of just your tail. You weren't supposed to die. You were only five. What happened? Even the Vet couldn't figure out why. We lost five more possible years of your love & loyalty. We'll never forget you, Nina. You gave us so much joy & so many cuddles. You were so beautiful. I keep a picture of you on the TV. I'll see you & Mindy in Heaven.

Love Mummy XXXOOO

I still really miss you buddy, Love, Colleen

nipper our best friend and buddy, you where there always for us no matter what!! We will always love you!!
Lori,Todd,Nanny,Ashley,Tracy,Timmy and Richard

You died the same day as Dusty. You died because you drank bad chemicals that was in your water. If only I had known that you were going to die I would have given you some cleaner water to drink.I went off to school as usual but when I got home mom and dad had to hold me back after they told me the news about you and Dusty. We got the chemicals out of our water, but it still does not bring you and Dusty back. You were my only boy dog out of three other girl dogs. You were my baby boy. You were a blind dog and you had to struggle most of your life. I miss you and Dusty to.