Photos by Chanan

2020 will be remembered by many people as the most difficult, most challenging year in memory.

Even for those not touched directly by COVID-19, there were other loses . . .

In December 2020, Bobbi Irie of Jobara Devons was moved to share her reaction following the announcement that her friend, Barbara Callison, had passed.

These are Bobbie's thoughts . . .

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Barb was a very dear friend. 

We shared many a time talking of ways and means to survive another year to put on the current show and have enough money to plan the next CFA show. 

It’s not easy to be a show manager and Barb was a dynamo.

I don’t have to remind myself how important it is to navigate and problem-solve through any quibbles and disagreements in the fancy to appreciate and cherish our fellow exhibitors, judges, vendors, photographers, and everyone that participates and puts their heart out there to share a passion that is deeply ingrained and rooted in our bones. 

I spent a bit of time reflecting on Barb Callison, and another recent loss — Jim Furr.

And losses that affect all of us personally as well as throughout our cat fancy . . .

Our is truly an extended family. 

We argue, we fight, we laugh and cry — as a family.  

My heart aches as memories, past and present, keep trickling in . . . but it soars to know the determination, dedication, hopes and dreams, commitment, excitement, and often unspoken love that permeates the show halls and leaves its long-lasting mark on all of us.

I have been involved with the fancy, particularly with CFA, for most of my life . . . and it marks you . . . like a permanent tattoo. 

I met my significant other at a CFA show . . .

My daughter and grandchildren grew up with cats and participating in our cat shows . . .

Most of my dear friends are a part of our cat fancy . . . and any losses are deeply felt and echoes throughout the fancy.

The most recent losses of Barb Callison and Jim Furr are, for me, invaluable reasons to be more supportive, more appreciative, kinder, more understanding and tolerant of the diversity and complexity that binds us together . . .

Because we are a family. 

This pandemic has touched all of us . . . and I’ve seen it bring out the best and the worst of us.  If our fancy is to survive and get back to normal, we really do have to support each other.  We have a really nice TICA group here in Utah and for the past several years we have helped each other to the benefit of both our associations — and if two different registries can work together to support each other at the shows, it stands to reason CFA members can find common ground to get our shows going again.

Jim and Barb, I will miss you as I remember you.  Rest in peace, my friends.

We are a family . . .