More than 200 people came from near and far for the journey way back into the Freedom Hills of northwest Alabama. And the dress was just as diverse – from tuxedos to camouflage and hip boots, from colorful casual clothes to the full black attire – replete with Sunday-go-to-meeting black hats – of a group of ‘mourners.’

The funeral was obviously worthy of a dignitary, although this wasn’t your typical bigwig. This observance was in the name of White Hills The Merchant, a grand champion coon dog known as ‘Merch.’