On January 17, 2020, SDF lost an important part of our family when our very first volunteer, Rosemary Schumacher, passed away in the Ojai Valley she called home for much of her life.
Rosemary led the charge alongside SDF Founder Wilma Melville, handwriting “thank you” letters, processing donations, and maintaining SDF’s offices when we outgrew Wilma’s coffee table!
Rosemary also helped raise Search Dog Ranger and frequently cared for Search Dog Abby when SDF staff member and Handler Debra Tosch, now our Director of Finance, was out of town. Rosemary was also the proud guardian of Search Dog Baron.
And when SDF search dogs were featured on the national news in the aftermath of 9/11, Rosemary manned the phones and called upon friends to gather at the SDF office to help with the influx of interest. She was the perfect ambassador, representing our nation’s search dogs to all who contacted SDF, and helped ensure SDF grew into the organization we are today.
Thank you, Rosemary, for paving the way for so many amazing volunteers to follow in your footsteps. You are missed by all in your two- and four-legged SDF family, but your contribution to further the search will never be forgotten.
