Joe, Barbara, Caroline

In Memorium ~ Barbara Umlauf

An Angel Gets her Wings

On December 20, 2018, the world lost a truly special person, Hillside Executive Director Barbara Umlauf. For 34 years, she has been the face of The Hillside. A friend to many, a savior to animals in need. Barbara worked tirelessly through the years to save the lives of countless animals. She suffered the loss of both her children and dedicated her every moment to preserving their memory through “Joe and Caroline’s Spay/Neuter and Emergency Fund” which made it possible to spay and neuter every animal in residence at any time at the shelter and covered the veterinary bills for animals in need. It is difficult to find the words to adequately express the deep sense of loss and just how much she meant to so very many.  A constant source of strength to so many over the years, the world has lost an amazing friend, mentor, advocate, sister, aunt, role model, and human being. It is our fervent hope that Barb will be with her children Joe and Caroline now and surrounded by the thousands of animals whose lives she touched who waited at the Rainbow Bridge for her arrival.  It was Barbara’s dying wish to continue to save as many animals as possible and keep The Fund alive. If you would like to give a gift to The Fund, donations can be made to either Joe and Caroline Spay/Neuter and Emergency Fund  or The General Fund online or mailed directly to The Hillside SPCA. Please make checks payable to the Hillside S.P.C.A. P.O. Box 233, Pottsville, PA 17901 and clearly mark on your envelope whether your gift is to the general fund or Joe and Caroline’s fund.

In the Arms of the Angels

On March 7, 2017, I lost my other child, Caroline Canfield Parnell.  Taken from us far to soon, Caroline was a beautiful light in so many people’s lives. She, like Joe, shared a tremendous love of animals and grew up around the Hillside SPCA. In memory of my two beautiful children, Joe’s Fund will now become Joe and Caroline’s Spay/Neuter & Emergency Fund.

Original Article

On August 27, 2006 my beautiful and brilliant son, Joseph J. Parnell died. He was 33-years-old, and I will never be the same again. It is so ironic that I’ve worked so hard to save lives, but I could not save my own child. I wanted something good to come out of this horrific tragedy, so I started the Joseph J. Parnell Memorial Spay and Neuter Fund, which was noted in his obituary in our local newspaper. There are no words to tell you how overwhelmed I was by the immediate and tremendous response. It was the worst time of my life, but the gifts in memory of my Joe made me realize that Joe can still save many lives. Because I tend to be obsessive about something I love, I will work the rest of my life to keep this fund going so that Joe’s life will make a difference. One of my most vivid memories of Joe was when he was 18-years- old. I went into his room to wake him and found him sound asleep with a baby deer dozing beside him. The deer had been injured and Joe found him on the side of the road. It was a beautiful moment; it never occurred to Joe that it was unusual to do this — it was just the way he was. In the years that have passed since he left us, his legacy lives on in his fund and the generous gifts you have given in his memory. Hundreds of animals have been spayed and neutered fulfilling my dream of having the funds to make sure they are altered prior to adoption – something we struggled with trying to accomplish before Joe’s Fund came into being. I cry with sadness over his loss and with joy for his ability to live on every time I use his account to help end the cycle of unwanted litters. The grief in my heart was so overwhelming that, when I started Joe’s Fund, I wasn’t as focused as I should have been. I do believe that Joe is always with me, and in the months following his death, I realized that this fund should be not only about spaying and neutering, but one that would help animals needing emergency care, something that we face so very often here at the Hillside SPCA. There was a time when we had to say, “No, we cannot help.” when faced with an expensive health emergency for an animal — sometimes many animals — that needed a second chance because we just could not afford the cost. Now, thanks to the support you give to Joe’s Fund, we can say, “YES!, we CAN help!” And we do. Joe will always be alive in my heart and my family’s, but you will keep him alive to end the tragedy of being unwanted, unloved, ill, neglected, and abused because there are too many, and too many “thrown away”.. From all the animals Joe has already saved because of your generosity, and all the animals his fund will save, I send you love and gratitude, forever. ~ Barbara A. Umlauf, Mother of Joseph J. Parnell, Caroline C. Parnell, and Manager of Hillside SPCA