Stacie “Farm Dog” Farmer
Farmer with Wolf softball teammates Andrea Larson (center) and Laura Crandall.
Today, 28 years ago, Stacie Farmer was born into the world, and joy exploded into the universe.
Today, four years ago, Farm Dog, unable to overcome injuries suffered when she was hit by a car while crossing a road on her bike, passed away on her birthday with her family and loved ones by her side.
Her joy still touches every part of the world.
Stacie’s tale, of a bright-eyed child who embraced life and everything it had to offer, who met each and every person, each and every challenge, with a huge grin and an open heart, will never be dimmed.
From far-flung mountain tops to the rivers of West Virginia, from a table at Miriam’s Espresso to the Coupeville High School softball field, her memory lives on through each and every person who ever met her.
We all carry a bit of Stacie inside of us, whether we knew her in passing or were a huge part of her life.
She radiated joy in everything she did.
In the brief years she had after Coupeville, she traveled the globe, dreadlocks bouncing in the sun, her epic smile preceding her arrival.
Little kids. Senior citizens. Extroverts. Introverts. Friends. Complete strangers. Didn’t matter. She approached everyone with an open heart.
At the time of her accident, she was having a great time working as a river rafting guide.
Another job around the same time she described as “I get paid to chill with kids and their sticky jam hands too.”
On this day, the sense of loss will be overwhelming for many.
Not only was someone lost, but someone who was doing so much good with her life. Someone who was having such an impact on others.
Someone who, without a doubt, deserved to continue on for many, many years.
The world is not the same without Stacie Farmer.
Everyone mourns in their own way. No one should be told how to deal with their loss by another, and, as always, my deepest sympathies go out to her family.
But, on this day, which was a day of both great joy and heartbreak, I hope as many people as possible will choose to embrace the sparkling spirit that drove Farm Dog.
Celebrate her life and all her accomplishments.
Simply smile at someone. Be friendly to a stranger. Tell those close to you how you feel about them.
Do whatever small thing you can to make life better for others. Spread Stacie’s gospel of love and joy.
Embrace her favorite saying and then actually live it through your actions.
Bhavuta sabba mangalam — may all beings be happy.
Stacie was happiness, a bright, burning ball of never-ending happiness.
Nothing has dimmed that. Nothing will dim it. Ever.
We can’t, and won’t, let that happen.
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