Some of you complained that if you don't have gmail you aren't able to leave a comment with your name. The easiest way to do it is to go to the comments section. Pull down on the tab to reveal several ways to leave a message with your name. If you choose the one that indicates what "name and url" just put your name in and leave the URL empty. Then, when you leave a message it will show whose leaving it... this way, there is no need for anonymous comments ... Hope this blogger 101 helps.
Thank You to Terri Spray from Indianapolis Indiana for this doll.
The box it was found in was post marked 4/3/2000.
This Peter doll is the largest of 3 that the family knows of, with the artist sending several to Nettie several years before.
Nettie gave 1 to daughter Patricia. Peter's girlfriend Lisa has a small version. Peter took this one from his home on East 18th Street with him and eventually put into his sister Nancy's coffin when she died.
That's so lovely
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
ReplyDeleteHaha, that is neat! Love all the little trinkets you guys are sharing. Happy Labor Day weekend. xx
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome doll. I wonder what Peter's reaction was when he first saw them. I bet it was a good one. Again thanks for sharing these stories with us. Even though we didn't know Peter personally, we all miss him so much.
ReplyDeleteawwwwww...i love the fact that nancy has a part of pete with her forever. that is so neat. what a precious soul that man had.
ReplyDeleteas for the dolly, its amazing how much the face characters were put here. i love it and i hate dolls. this one wouldnt freak me out. lol. just precious.
thanks for sharing this.
Hi, love this doll. Who´s the artist?
ReplyDeleteThe fact that Peter gave the doll to his sister made me cry. It reminds me about when my exhusbands father had died, he died one month after Peter and died because of heartfailure.
When we were checking the coffin before my exhusbands father was to placed in it, our then 5 year old daughter was with us. She walked up to the coffin, and out of her favorite "princesshandbag" she pulled a letter, a picture of herself and her two brothers, and a pair of really warm socks. She asked me to lift her up and after I had done that she placed the items in the coffin. When she was back in the floor again she turned to the man that was supposed to make her grandfather ready for the funeral and said: "Can you please make sure that grandpa get´s his socks on so he won´t be cold and then you place the letter and the photography in his right hand so he can look at them whenever he want to" and then she walked out of the room with her head high. Later I asked her what she had written in the letter and she answered with such a lightness in her voice: "I love you! And please say hi to Peter Steele for me and mom!" All I could do was to hug her, I did´nt know what to say.
The day her grandfather died was her fifth birthday, we never told her that it was that exact day he died but a while ago she said that she knew he died at her birthday but that she doesn´t mind it because he never ment to die, and that it was easier to let go for him the day his firsth grandchild was celebrating her life and that he probably did that because he wanted to be able to join the party.
My daughter is not as down to earth as I would have wished, but sometimes that is actually soothing during a mourningprocess.
Well Ratajzyk family, keep going, we are all supporting you.
Love your story, Alexandra. Children rarely get credit for their wisdom. Sounds like your daughter's destined for great things. Being willing to just be a child during her childhood rather than struggling to be an adult too soon may be an ultimate example of her wisdom.
ReplyDeleteI've never been partial to dolls, but Terri Spray did a great job, especially on Pete's facial features. The watch and boots add that final touch. I'm sure he was happy to have them and to share with Nettie. Seeing him 'give' Nancy one at her memorial must've been such a bittersweet moment. Hope having one of the Pete-dolls is offering Lisa some comfort after all she did.
I think Alexandra's daughter's words, "He never meant to die." are very insightful and worth learning from.
With gratitude,
Jeanne
The first thing I thought of when seeing Peters doll was the Zuni Doll in Trilogy Of Terror! Peter did a really nice thing, putting his doll in with Nancy. I wish all men had Peters warmth and love.
ReplyDeleteGreat doll! Great story! Great blog! Great man! As always thank you for sharing. Peace.
ReplyDeletewow that is beautiful and so amazing...wtg Terri, wherever you are! And Alexandra, you have an amazing little girl! You are so blessed! Treasure your sweet little gift!
ReplyDelete~Jessica B.
Very heartwarming and sweet ...Thank you for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteOMG how I have missed this blog & all these touching memories - being one week again offline..
ReplyDeleteThe dolls are fantastic - Terri what a beautiful piece of art. The fact that Pete placed one doll in his sister's Nancy coffin has brought tears to my eyes but filled my heart with warmth & love. Alexandra - your story has also brought tears to my eyes, how touching is that gesture of your sweet little daughter & yes Jeanne aka Dunebuggy4 these words are very insightful & worth learning from. It never can be said often enough: Oh God we miss you, Pete, we really miss you ...
To the Ratajczyk family: Much love & respect & thx for sharing.
To all: take good care of yourself
-Sabine-
Great post, and always thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeletepeter was such a blessed man
ReplyDeleteAlexandra u have a wonderfully gifted child ..To know that this life is just our test to get to "the great deniably beautiful next parallel we all should b destined for..and that little girl has the heart for it,i pray she stays that way...love n hugs to that little girl..and pete jus wanted to go with nancy but the doll was the closest thing he could come up with..i love his beautiful soul
ReplyDelete