Students and community members have made gestures remembering the Great Pyrenees after he passed away Feb. 7.
The MU and Columbia community is remembering the life of Harlan, a Great Pyrenees and beloved MU celebrity, who passed away Feb. 7 following a stroke.
Students created a small memorial for Harlan and held a vigil at Speaker’s Circle on the night of his passing. Flowers, drawings and dog treats were left as students paid tribute. Harlan’s owners left behind sunglasses that the Great Pyrenees was known to pose with on sunny days.
Harlan could often be seen visiting campus with his owner Cris Wood, a former MU employee and long-time Columbia resident. Harlan was born on Jan. 29, 2012, having just recently celebrated his 11th birthday.
Freshman Nathan Gilbert recalled his first time meeting Harlan and the warmth he was greeted with.
“I was a little bit scared because he’s a big guy, but I started petting him. He just immediately went on his back and wanted belly rubs,” Gilbert said.
Harlan took a more official role within the university when a sign hosting an illustration of him was placed around campus to raise students’ spirits during the pandemic. Each day, the sign would be placed in a new location for students to find.
But the sign of Harlan was no replacement. For students like junior Rachel Cook, seeing Harlan on his morning walks became something to look forward to in an otherwise difficult time.
“Everything was virtual except one class a week. I was like, you know what? I’m going to not be depressed today. I’m going to get out of bed,” Cook said. “I walked out of my class and met Harlan for the first time, and he was just the absolute best. And it got me to actually get out and go to class. He’s what kept me going to class.”
Calvary Episcopal Church dedicated its Wednesday evening service last week to the remembrance of Harlan, with the congregation being led by the Rev. Josh Huber.
“Part of the tradition of our set service is we commemorate saints or holy individuals in that service. And although having a dog is maybe a little bit off the beaten path, it is not unheard of,” Huber said. “People really loved and connected with Harlan.”
After the announcement of Harlan’s passing, a petition was made to place a statue of Harlan in Speakers Circle, where students would gather to greet him on his daily walks. Gaining over 2,500 signatures in the first 24 hours, the petition saw students expressing support to commemorate their beloved dog.
Assistant vice chancellor John Middleton said in a statement that a bench would be placed in honor of Harlan if students could raise $5,000.
“The one thing that everyone agrees on is that Harlan was the absolute best boy,” Cook said.
Edited by Zoe Homan, zhoman@themaneater.comCopy edited by Lauren Courtney
