Skip was my best friend until I moved to the “Northside” in 4th grade. He crossed Main Street nearly every weekend to sleep over and spent every Saturday watching cartoons at my house on Maple Street before I moved. We stole peas from the pea truck, stripped neughbors’ cherry trees and made countless prank calls that we thought were hilarious. He was a kind, funny and gentle soul. I have missed him.
skip and I were friends when his family moved down the street from mine on Kibbe Avenue. After I grauated from BHS, went to college and flunked out, and joined the Navy, my family had moved. I got married, started working for the Post Office, and going ot RIT in Rochester at night. One night Cathy and I went to the Monroe County Fair and while there we stopped at the dog show. To my surprise there was Skip and some cute little dog. I introduced him to Cathy and we talked, he said he was into breeding and showing Dogs. Imagine our surprise some years later, when we're watching the Westminister Dog Show, and Skip's Dog wins The Best Of Show. And then to watch him the next day on Good Morning America. Unbelievable!
I, too, watched on TV when Skip won Best in Show at The Westminster Dog Show. How exciting it was to see such a kind, fun-loving old friend achieve so much. As a lifelong dog owner, I can't imagine the discipline necessary for both trainer and canine. My Cocker Spaniels would never have made it in show business!
I remember first meeting Skip at Jackson School. His great smile, soft/calm speaking voice and devilish laugh were unique qualities that stayed with him though BHS and I am confident the balance of his way too short life. Skip and Carla Petronio were an item in 9th grade (methinks that was the year,) and in tenth grade, Carla was in my French class and asked me to go with her to a Sadie Hawkins Dance. My immediate reaction was "what about Skip?" Skip called me on the phone that night and told me that he had heard of Carla's invite to me and that he was not upset as they were no longer dating. Thought that was very mature of him - and it really impressed me ... for those were the naive years in our youth when we were sometimes too quick to be callous and cruel with reactions and hurtful comments. He was an awesome guy even back then! I did not know about the Impressive honors in his Dog Training Profession so thanks to Tom and Jane for sharing. Here's a tale for Jane; Indeed, Spaniels can be very challenging ....a few years back I had the most beautiful Springer Spaniel named "Beau"...I took him to the BEST Training School in Vegas and they tried sooooooooooooooo hard to teach him the do's and don'ts ...but alas, they threw their hands up in the air...they did not charge me the full fee, passed him with a completion certificate (for at least trying, I believe :-) but the finale was his graduating class photo...all his canine classmates were posed looking face on for the camera while Beau was rear facing the photographer... and scatching his butt. Well, that's showbiz. Bless Skip and May he be chuckling up above us as he reads our comments...Rest In Peace, friend.
Patrick J Pullinzi
Skip. was a good friend. Spent many days playing catch and baseball with him at Pringle Park. His parents treated me as one of their own.
Georgia Pontillo (Woodring)
Skip was my best friend until I moved to the “Northside” in 4th grade. He crossed Main Street nearly every weekend to sleep over and spent every Saturday watching cartoons at my house on Maple Street before I moved. We stole peas from the pea truck, stripped neughbors’ cherry trees and made countless prank calls that we thought were hilarious. He was a kind, funny and gentle soul. I have missed him.
Georgia
Thomas Hoitink
skip and I were friends when his family moved down the street from mine on Kibbe Avenue. After I grauated from BHS, went to college and flunked out, and joined the Navy, my family had moved. I got married, started working for the Post Office, and going ot RIT in Rochester at night. One night Cathy and I went to the Monroe County Fair and while there we stopped at the dog show. To my surprise there was Skip and some cute little dog. I introduced him to Cathy and we talked, he said he was into breeding and showing Dogs. Imagine our surprise some years later, when we're watching the Westminister Dog Show, and Skip's Dog wins The Best Of Show. And then to watch him the next day on Good Morning America. Unbelievable!
Jane Pixley (Gerace)
I, too, watched on TV when Skip won Best in Show at The Westminster Dog Show. How exciting it was to see such a kind, fun-loving old friend achieve so much. As a lifelong dog owner, I can't imagine the discipline necessary for both trainer and canine. My Cocker Spaniels would never have made it in show business!
Arthur J Torcello
I remember first meeting Skip at Jackson School. His great smile, soft/calm speaking voice and devilish laugh were unique qualities that stayed with him though BHS and I am confident the balance of his way too short life. Skip and Carla Petronio were an item in 9th grade (methinks that was the year,) and in tenth grade, Carla was in my French class and asked me to go with her to a Sadie Hawkins Dance. My immediate reaction was "what about Skip?" Skip called me on the phone that night and told me that he had heard of Carla's invite to me and that he was not upset as they were no longer dating. Thought that was very mature of him - and it really impressed me ... for those were the naive years in our youth when we were sometimes too quick to be callous and cruel with reactions and hurtful comments. He was an awesome guy even back then! I did not know about the Impressive honors in his Dog Training Profession so thanks to Tom and Jane for sharing. Here's a tale for Jane; Indeed, Spaniels can be very challenging ....a few years back I had the most beautiful Springer Spaniel named "Beau"...I took him to the BEST Training School in Vegas and they tried sooooooooooooooo hard to teach him the do's and don'ts ...but alas, they threw their hands up in the air...they did not charge me the full fee, passed him with a completion certificate (for at least trying, I believe :-) but the finale was his graduating class photo...all his canine classmates were posed looking face on for the camera while Beau was rear facing the photographer... and scatching his butt. Well, that's showbiz. Bless Skip and May he be chuckling up above us as he reads our comments...Rest In Peace, friend.