Published: July 01, 2009 08:46 pm      

Homeward bound

Doves forge lasting bond for Navarro’s Zoellner and family

J. Louise Larson

Waxahachie Daily Light



ENNIS (AP) — Say it with doves.

Erik Zoellner and his family do.

The family that does doves together stays together, and the Zoellners have a close kinship. Raising rock doves with his children has replaced playing golf with business associates for Erik Zoellner.

The Zoellners’ birds are popular at weddings and funerals and other momentous occasions. There’s the Trinity formation, with three birds symbolizing the Holy Trinity. And then, a really grand gesture — the 21-dove salute.

Whether a single bird or a group, they make a beautiful picture, silver wings beating in a rapid flutter as they rise to circle, alone or together, before fulfilling their genius and doing what they want most to do: to fly home, to their loft, even if it’s 100 miles away or more.

For most occasions, Zoellner charges for dove services to help take care of the birds and so his kids can contribute to their own college educations.

He also provides dove release services free for the funerals of World War II veterans.

“It helps to bring a very positive closure to a funeral,” Zoellner said. “People leave that funeral looking up.”

The Zoellner kids enjoy the family’s unique avocation.

“We care for the birds, we feed them and we help advertise them,” said John, 11, as he demonstrates the right way to hold a dove prior to release, a gentle but firm hand around the soft white feathered shoulders as two fingers scissor slightly to gently hold the pink feet.

John notes that the doves’ school appearances are a hit with the students. “Everybody loved them. It has been a very popular thing.”

“It’s not a bad job — it’s family oriented. We’re close-knit, and I suppose this brings us even closer,” said Jake. His dad pointed out another upside.

“It’s a way for Jake and his brothers to be earning college money,” Zoellner said.

Relative newcomers to Ennis, the Zoellners have lived in the Bluebonnet City for a year.

Dr. Erik Zoellner is the vice president of student services for Navarro College.

The Houston native holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Northeastern State, and a doctoral degree in higher education from Oklahoma State.

One of the Zoellners’ sons, Noah, is autistic, and the birds give him a safe and friendly interaction with the natural world.

There is a dove lineage of sorts for the Zoellners. One of Erik’s grandfathers raised pigeons, and the other one was a Wichita Falls surgeon whose assistant first introduced Erik Zoellner to raising thoroughbred homing pigeons.

There’s a lot to taking care of rock doves.

Technically homing pigeons, rock doves come from the dove family. But they require training and careful management to live long and fruitful lives.

The old-fashioned releases of untrained doves were picturesque but sad, Zoellner said.

“They were sending those birds to their deaths. They’d drop from the sky, or be eaten by owls,” Zoellner said. “These birds are well-trained and well taken care of,” he said.

Fine-feathered little teaching tools, the gentle doves help with school presentations conducted by the Zoellners, where the beautiful birds are used as a springboard to discuss all kinds of math concepts.

The lessons of the doves are multiple. They appear in numerous places in Scripture — with perhaps the earliest being Noah’s homing dove that returns to the ark, olive branch in hand, literally the bearer of good news that land was nearby.

There’s history: Among the ranks of World War II veterans, there were birds who were honored for their service among the Allies.

There’s diversity in their many-colored feathers; there’s determination in their ability to seek and find their home with precision.

Zoellner’s birds, like their respectful handlers, are courteous, polite and professional. There’s probably even some geometry in there.

And something about those gently winged lessons appeals to the educator in Erik Zoellner.

“They’re beautiful,” he said.

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