Joni Melvin Reiter

Joni Maybellene Melvin Reiter was born in Gaston County, NC, in late summer 2011. Despite her humble Gashouse roots, she would go on to have a more robust life than many humans can claim, living in New York and Nashville, among other places. She traveled as far north as Maine, as far south as Florida, and even journeyed out west to Wyoming on multiple occasions. Through it all, she remained a beloved and dutiful companion to her mom, and then to her adoptive father Zac, too.

She hated bikes but loved her cat siblings. In her later years, she awed everyone with how well she could pull off a black turtleneck. Her favorite films were Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2. Yes, she was a technically a dog, but she was always more than that to us.

Joni, aka Joan, aka Jojo, aka Jonelle: You were so special, my girl. We will miss you forever.