During a quiet walk in Kiroli Park, West Monroe, Louisiana, Zach Medlin stumbled upon an unusual discovery. As his dog Serena played near the lake,

he noticed a small gravestone hidden under pine straw. Clearing it, he read the inscription: “Buddie, 1928–1941. Born a dog and died a gentleman.”

The simple marker moved him. He reflected on the comfort Buddie must have given his family during the Great Depression, saying,

“Knowing Buddie provided comfort in hard times is truly heartening. All dogs deserve a grave marker.”

Local lore suggested Buddie had been a Boy Scout mascot and once barked to save a drowning boy.

Yet another account emerged. A handwritten note from 1993 by Mrs. Dee Strickland revealed Buddie was

the beloved Irish setter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Jones of Monroe. The Jones family often exercised him

at Kiroli Park, and after his passing, chose the spot they cherished most as his final resting place.

Whether remembered for heroism or quiet devotion, Buddie’s gravestone honors loyalty, love, and companionship.

Medlin’s chance discovery reminds visitors that even in ordinary places, hidden stories celebrate the enduring bond between humans and their dogs.