‘Celebration of life’ for teen who died with dog
BY TINA SFONDELES Staff Reporter June 25, 2011 10:20PM
Taylor Stinchcomb and her dog Romulus,
Article Extras
Updated: September 30, 2011 12:24AM
Taylor Stinchcomb’s sudden death in a crash while trying to rescue her cancer-stricken Doberman from being put down was not indicative of her life, family and friends said Saturday at her funeral.
The 15-year-old was funny, a quick-witted spitfire who was extremely religious, they said.
She wasn’t the rebellious girl who died, along with her dog, Romulus, early Tuesday after frantically taking the dog and a friend in the family minivan upon learning Romulus might be put to sleep.
Taylor’s parents were “unequivocally her heroes,” said Josh Petersen, a pastor at Immanuel Church in Gurnee.
And with her “heroes” in the front row of a church full of mourners, Taylor’s uncle Phil Stinchcomb read words written by her parents, Bill and Lee Ann Stinchcomb.
“Because of her tremendous passion for her pet dog, who was very very sick, she made a risky decision late Monday night to take our car and her dog with a friend,” the letter said. “She did this without our knowledge and without the forethought that we would have hoped she would have had at that time. But the fact remains that she was only 15. And no 15-year-old makes the right decisions every time. None.”
It was the end to a life full of horseback riding, softball, youth group and Bible study classes and time spent with her beloved dog, speakers said.
“Taylor loved Dobermans. She didn’t like when I badmouthed Dobermans ever,” Petersen said during his eulogy. “She said I just hadn’t met the right Doberman and they weren’t all bad. I just had to go meet Romulus.”
Family members called the service “a celebration of life,” choosing to remember the good rather than dwell on a momentary lapse of judgment.
There were songs performed by her fellow youth group members, including a rap with lyrics written by Taylor herself.
She was wearing her softball jersey in the casket, with a softball bag to her left and a rock that read “Jesus is my rock,” to her right.
Taylor’s former teammates, clad in uniform, showed up in droves to grieve as a team. Nearly all in attendance wore some form of lime green, the teen’s favorite color.
And in the end, as mourners waited to go outside for an outdoor release of balloons, a home video of Taylor meeting Romulus for the first time popped up on a lobby TV. At first, Taylor appeared confused as her father stood several feet away with the dog, waiting for Taylor to realize Romulus was hers. Then her face broke into a smile.
Comments Click here to view or make a comment