‘People turkey’ Gravy misses Thanksgiving
Gravy, a large turkey that became a bit of a celebrity before Thanksgiving last year as he strutted around the Thompson-Miller Funeral Home in Butler, didn’t live to see the holiday a second time.
Originally intended to be the main course for Lindsay Michael’s family Thanksgiving dinner last year, Gravy and a hen named Butters endeared themselves to Michael and avoided the butcher block.
Gravy died in June when he was a year and a half old, but Butters is alive and doing fine at the Michael’s Washington Township hobby farm.
Michael put a tie on Gravy, who she said was the friendlier of the two birds, and took him to work with her at the funeral home last year. Passersby couldn’t help but notice Michael and Gravy outside of the business.
“I enjoyed bringing Gravy in last year. He was a people turkey,” Michael said Wednesday.
Gravy and Butters are “meat bird” breeds that meant for the dinner table, she said.
“He gained weigh too quick, had a heart attack and died unfortunately,” Michael said. “My female turkey is living her best life.”
She said she plans to obtain another male turkey, but not a meat breed, in the spring and keep him as a pet.
