Friends of Murrysville dog lover memorialize him with new park bridge

The late David Hood of Murrysville was a lifelong dog lover and avid daily dog walker on Murrysville’s Townsend Park trails, so it was fitting that his friends would honor his memory by building a foot bridge over a small stream to make it easier for people to walk their pets without the humans getting muddy.

The 86-year-old Hood died April 2, but his memory was very much alive Sunday afternoon when about 30 family and friends gathered to dedicate a new wooden bridge over a tributary of the park pond. Several of the dogs in attendance walked over the 20-foot bridge, while others opted to wallow in the mud of the stream, much to their owners’ dismay.

Hood’s daughter, Marijean Brown Hood of Loyalhanna, said it was appropriate that his friends built the bridge at Townsend Park off Sardis Road, which he frequented with his four dogs.

“He loved this place. He loved the people,” his daughter said, after a brief gathering at the new bridge built in her father’s memory.

Marijean Brown Hood said he would leave her house early after a dinner in order to go to the park to walk his dogs.

Townsend Park is one of three parks in Murrysville where the municipality allows pet owners to let their dogs off their leashes during set times.

“He looked forward to coming here every day,” Hood’s daughter said.

A friend of Hood’s, Gina Deible of Murrysville, said Hood’s fellow dog lovers wanted to do something in his memory at the park and were given approval by Murrysville Council. The bridge over the small stream had a hole in it and needed to be replaced.

Brian Marchitelli of Murrysville said he figured they would raise $20 each from 20 people to pay for the wood, but they raised about three times that amount. With the generosity of Ernie Hahn of Murrysville, who donated unused lumber from a project at his house, Marchitelli said, they had money left over for trail signs in the park.

“Dave’s park friends contributed funds, they contributed materials and then they built it,” said a friend, Nancy Snow.

There was enough money to build new steps and a handrail at the gazebo off the parking lot, Snow said.

“This kind of generosity is a testimony to Dave’s generosity of spirit and … his generosity with dog treats, big dog treats,” Snow said.

A fellow dog lover from Pittsburgh’s Point Breeze section, Graham Park, offered a memory of meeting Hood and walking her dogs with him.

Park did not mind the drive out to Murrysville, even though she lives close to Frick Park in the city.

“Years of every Sunday coming to this park and walking it with Dave, that’s a very big part of my life,” Park said as she choked up.

“He was a wonderful person and is sorely missed,” Snow said.