The March issue of The Takoma Voice ran beautiful memorial tributes to a rooster named Roscoe, who bonded with this Maryland suburb of Washington, DC for a decade. When Roscoe was killed by a car on February 15th, Takoma Park held a funeral service for him. In "Funeral for a Fowl," Mike Tidwell wrote in part, ". . . Roscoe's crow was part of the bloodstream here. And so people loved him very much. More than 30 folks came to his outdoor funeral on a cold, blustery February Sunday, more people than I've seen at some funerals for human beings. . . . With each crow, he reconnected us, however briefly, to a world more sane and simple. . . . He also got many of us to work on time each morning, something several funeral attendees stepped to the microphone and thanked him for earnestly. At the funeral, we finally saluted Roscoe, all of us together, ages five months to 70 years, letting go with three big cock-a-doodle-doos, turning our faces heavenward and pouring out our hearts."

Photo by Eric Bond - Takoma Voice

The Takoma Voice has proposed a memorial statue of Roscoe or a Roscoe weathervane to remember him by. UPC has suggested an annual vegan festival be held in his honor as well. You may send contributions and suggestions to The Takoma Voice, PO Box 11262, Takoma Park, MD 20913 (301-891-6744; voice@takoma.com).