She knew exactly where the warmth was. Lola James Bilow-Huba — Lola Wigglesworth to those who loved her most — would burrow beneath the blankets and press herself against her mother's stomach like a small, determined sun finding its orbit.
That was Lola. She didn't just want to be near you. She wanted to be *part* of you.
Born on October 21, 2006, in the quiet Indiana countryside, she arrived into Brian and Lynda's arms ten weeks later and never really left. She traveled from rural farmland to the neighborhoods of Halfmoon, New York, carrying her whole personality with her — curious, joyful, and slightly chaotic in the best possible way.
She attended puppy obedience school at PetSmart in Latham in 2007. The instructors passed her along. The other dogs probably still talk about her.
Lola had a whole extended family who claimed her as their own, including a nana and papa who adored her completely. She had a standing arrangement with nana's Bud Light mug that no one fully approved of and everyone quietly treasured.
Summers at Chateaugay Lake were her cathedral. She rode papa's pontoon boat with the wind moving through her fur, hiked the nearby trails, and soaked in every golden hour like she understood how rare they were.
She was known for:
- Burrowing deep under blankets to press against her mother's warmth, every single night
- Riding the pontoon boat at Chateaugay Lake with the absolute confidence of someone who owned the water
- Dressing as a bumblebee or turtle each Halloween, radiating pure delight regardless of the costume
The Kinks played in the background while she ate salmon and apple slices. She had taste. She had seventeen extraordinary years. She had a family who will feel the shape of her absence in every blanket, every boat ride, every quiet evening.
Lola Wigglesworth crossed the rainbow bridge on August 9, 2024, surrounded by the people she burrowed closest to — and she took a piece of each of them with her.
She was not just a good girl. She was *the* girl.