Yankee Mary “Beth” Riposo
1952 – 2011
The “Yankee” half of the Yankee Red Sox Havanese:
Beth Riposo died on October 29th, 2011. If you met her, you loved her.
I met her and wanted to share that experience with our Havanese families.
Thanks for reading us...~Bobbee
The first time I ever spoke to Beth was in Spring 2008 when my 2 year old Havanese, Lucy, was
looking for her first “boyfriend”. I like to tell people that we met on “Studfinder.com”. Yes, there was such a place and Beth was there waiting for me. After a few long, enjoyable phone conversations, she invited me to stay at her house while Lucy and her stud Reno “got acquainted”. I don’t think I have ever liked and trusted someone that fast. She was going to be someone that I would love forever….and we already knew that. Sometimes ya just know.
And so I left my home near Boston with my dog Lucy, my 80 year old mother, Pat and my (then) 19 year old daughter, Patty and we went off to “a strangers house” in upstate NY from our home near Boston. 301 miles each way. There were closer breeders….but they were not Beth. When we finally met, she and her husband Bob were the most gracious “strangers” I have ever known. Later, on subsequent trips to Erieville, Beth would cry just talking about my mother and how she was like her own deceased mother. My Mom and Beth adored each other. Beth and I knew we would always be friends. Unfortunately, “Stud” Reno did not feel the same.
With his “Harem” of Tahoe and Nevada, Reno decided they were all the dogs he needed. Who knew dogs could be faithful? Lucy was not on his radar at all. After 2 days of soft music and candle light (ie: locking them together in the sunroom), we knew this was not going to be. But Beth had another trick up her sleeve and called the local Havanese breeder where she got Reno. There we found “Willow” and Lucy and Willow lived happily ever after….for that and the following litter anyway.
Before I left that first weekend, I had a website started for both Beth and me. Naming the site was easy. My mom is THE greatest Red Sox fan and Beth and Bob were all about the Yankees (we forgave them for that ;)). Thus YankeeRedHavanese.com was born.
Sometimes we went months without talking. That was ok. I always knew she was there. I hope she felt the same. I knew what a fabulous woman she was. I know that she treated those dogs and puppies as I did my own. I have found Beth to be among the warmest, most compassionate, beautiful people in my life. I will miss her terribly.
Throughout these years, her cancer came and went. It seemed to move through her body in new hiding places for the past 3 years. I know very few people as strong as this woman. She fought the fight… over and over again. It drained her. In between, she lived her life and enjoyed her family, friends, and dogs. She once told me that her dogs were the best therapy she ever knew. That unconditional love was a quiet, dependable comfort for her and I thank God she had that in her life. It was one of the things that drew us together in the first place.
The last time I had an “in-person” conversation with Beth was this past July. Bob brought their Nevada to us to have a “date” with Simon. Yes, you heard right. Now I had the “stud” and Nevada fell in love ;) A few days later, we brought Nevada back along with all of our dogs, my husband Brad, and my Mom…now 84.
That same weekend, Beth and Bob acquired two new black Havanese sisters: Grace and Abbey. She felt strong and ready to add two more pups to her life. She never doubted that 5 dogs might be a little more than she could handle. She was in love and knew she wanted these sisters. Perhaps she felt that adding more Havanese to her life would ward off the bad heath she might encounter. After all, they comforted her and she comforted them. Her husband Bob was right on board with her. If this might help her, how could that possibly be a not-so-great decision?
The last time I saw Beth was on the day she died. She was past having conversations. My mom and I arrived at Francis House, a Syracuse hospice, at 2:00pm on Saturday October 29th, 2011. Although she was not fully conscious, there is no doubt that she understood that I would make sure that Bob was up to speed with her precious dogs. Tahoe, in particular, was her dog and she needed to know she would be ok. I was there to say goodbye, remind her that I will always love her, and that Bob and her dogs would stay on my radar. When I left, I had accomplished these things. About 4 hours later, she died amongst her loved ones. She left this earth knowing she was loved and cared for. May we all know the same.
With me right now is “Grace”, one of the two puppy sisters acquired this summer. Bob has the other, Abbey and is willing to see how that is all going to work out. I will find the perfect home for Grace. She is just about 5 months now and an obviously smart Havanese pup. I comforted Tahoe as well as I could while there. She knows Beth is gone…no doubt about it. Reno and Nevada also know that their lives are different now. Nevada tends to her current litter (Simons kids) with Bob’s help. Bob has back up help and loves these dogs as Beth always did. He has been a part of it all since the beginning and wants to continue Beth’s work as our “Yankee”. I trust that he can.
I love you Beth,
Bobbee
“You can shed tears that she is gone, or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back, or you can open your
eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her, or you can be full of the
love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or you can be happy
for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone, or you can cherish her memory
and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”
~ David Harkins