b'APURRFECT LEGACYBonnie and Joe Merritt create a bequest for the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences to honor their beloved feline friend, CLEO.BY MICHELE SCHEVIKHOVEN 21B onnieandJoeMerritthaveownedmanycatsTo honor CLEOs life and show appreciation for their over the years, but they agree their snow-whitenew Aggie family, the Merritts created the CLEO the cat, CLEO, was one of a kind. After losing her life tocat Merritt Endowed Scholarship for Aggie veterinary cancer, the Merritts are remem- students studying small animal beringCLEOthroughtheircare and later included a bequest business and gifts to supportin their estate to increase the future Aggies. gifts impact. Everything we did "WE HOPE OUR GIFTSin our business was related to For17years,CLEOfollowedCLEO, so it was only fitting that Bonnie and Joe to their busi- WILL INSPIRE OTHERS THEwe establish this scholarship to ness, Buff Polish & Grind Indus- honor her life, Bonnie added.trial Supply Co. Inc., and satWAY CLEO CONTINUES TO with Bonnie in her office chair.AftertouringTexasA&Ms HersweetpersonalitymadeINSPIRE US." veterinary facilities with devel-hertheperfectcompanion,opmentofficerChastityCar-Bonnie said.-BONNIE AND JOE MERRITT rigan\'16(picturedmiddle), the couple was inspired to give Unfortunately,CLEOexperi- more.Chastityopenedour encedareoccurringboutofeyes to everything Texas A&Ms cancer, ending their long com- vet program is doing, Bonnie panionship. The Merritts paidexplained. The couples contri-tribute to her by naming theirbution to the universitys Small patentedwhitebuffingprod- AnimalHospitalwasrecog-uctafterher:CLEOsPolish- nizedwithanexamroomin ing Products. As our productCLEOs name. While the Mer-becamepopular,hernameritts will never know the full becamepartofoureverydayimpact of their gifts, they have vocabulary, growing our rela- one wish: We hope our gifts will tionship as a result, Joe said.inspire others the way CLEO Thinking about her still makescontinues to inspire us.us tear up.CLEOs many treatments at a vetTo learn more about memorial clinic in Argyle, Texas, intro- planned giving, contact Angela duced the family to Dr. GarryThrone 03 at (979) 845-8161 or ONeal 84 87 and other Aggieathrone@txamfoundation.com. vets. We thought so highly of all the veterinarians,To support the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomed-Bonnie said. They did an unbelievable job caring forical Sciences, contact Larry Walker 97 at (979) 458-1304 us, CLEO and our other cats, so we wanted to give back.or lwalker@txamfoundation.com.12 | TEXAS A&M FOUNDATION|OFFICE OF GIFT PLANNING'