To Carole Sturgis: A Memorial

In the wake of a Fair Oaks tragedy, locals have taken it upon themselves to do what they can to bring some positivity to an otherwise sad time. Such is the case for the friends and family who hope to honor Carole Sturgis' memory.

Sturgis was found dead in her home after Sacramento County Sheriff's deputies arrested a bloodied and naked  outside the home. The cause of her death and its motive have not yet been determined.

Longtime friend of Sturgis, Dr. Jay Griffiths, chief of staff at , took it upon himself to set up to neuter and spay stray and feral neighborhood cats. Now the veterinarian has taken the effort one step further with his memorial tribute to Sturgis in a letter to her family and friends. Here is what he had to say:

To The Family and Friends of Carole Sturgis:

I have known Carole since 1979. As a 19 year old pre-veterinary student, Carole was one of the first clients I met and she made an immediate impact on me. I recall when I first met her how genuinely kind she was and how much she loved her pets. Carole always had a smile and a nice word for everyone. Many years later, as a young veterinarian, I always enjoyed seeing Carole. She was always kind hearted and extremely patient. She would take time to visit with the staff and other clients in the waiting room. As the decades rolled by Carole was always the same happy person I first met as a teenager. During one of Carole’s frequent visits to the hospital, to bring us newspaper for our cages, Carole overheard a young couple struggling to decide how best to handle treating their puppy that had Parvo. The puppy was in critical condition and only had about a 50% chance of survival. Finances were definitely an issue for this young couple. Carole stepped up and donated some money to help these folks and their sick pet. The puppy survived and Carole forever positively impacted the lives of that young couple.

I have treated several generations of Carole’s pets and during the last 10-12 years Carole had taken to helping the stray and feral cats in the neighborhood. She would periodically bring the cats in to be spayed or neutered. She mentioned how she enjoyed feeding them and watching out for them. I understand that part of her daily routine was to feed the stray cats. It is not surprising to me that this was a daily ritual for Carole given her generous nature. Just a few weeks ago, as I was leaving the hospital, Carole was coming in carrying an armload of papers. She saw me, flashed a huge smile and proceeded into the clinic. I remember sitting in my truck thinking how special it is to have known Carole for so many years and her smile and nod had just made my day. That was the last time I saw Carole. Carole’s upbeat personality is an attribute we all can strive to emulate. Carole left this world better than she found it and this veterinarian will never forget her.

As a memorial to Carole, Sunset Animal Medical Center has founded The Carole Sturgis Memorial Fund for spaying, neutering and rabies vaccinating stray and feral cats.

My deepest sympathy goes out to the family and friends of Carole. She will be deeply missed. We hope that through the Memorial Fund we can continue her selfless work for years to come and pay tribute to a local role model who went through life leaving a positive impact on animals and humans alike.

In Loving memory,

Jay Griffiths, DVM
Chief of Staff
Sunset Animal Medical Center
916-967-7768