A Friend To Animals

Andy Meacham: TAMPA — Robert Patrick, who collected roadkill with priestly benevolence, died on Friday of pancreatic cancer. He was 38.

People who Mr. Patrick and his wife met socially often paused when he told them what he did for a living as an animal control officer for Hillsborough County.

"Usually their response was, 'Well, somebody's got to do it,' " said Katy Patrick, 37. "And he'd say, 'Yes, and that somebody is me, and that's okay.' "