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Dear Carrie and family

Dear Carrie and family,
I am writing to celebrate the wonderful dad you had. He is someone I will never forget. I remember mostly the balding head, pipe, with sweet smelling tobacco and the smile with the twinkle in his eyes. It seemed like he was always up to something and once you heard the whole story you could not help but laugh. When I came near to where he was on the way to visit I could not help, but smile, knowing something good was going to happen.

One of my favorite stories was one told over and over about how he tried to pet a skunk, thinking it was a kitty cat and all the effort it took to get the stench out. It is a picture that will always stay with me. Life can bring with it an awful stench and yet if you have the right attitude you get through it and can share with others a story that others might laugh at and thereby gain a new perspective.

Memories come back in abundance. I remember how he loved to fix/repair things. George junior picked up on these skills. I was lucky to figure out where to put the oil. I was amazed at what he could do with broken tv sets. He and dad would go to the dump and look for treasures and I had the privilege on one of my trips to pick out some treasures for myself. I also was invited to ride one of the many bikes he was working on. And there were the talks about family history. He made me feel proud to be a Peterson. On another trip back east, dad told me to visit alone. I was not disappointed. He showed me a photograph and told me to look close and I could see his father looked just like me. All of a sudden I felt more a part of the family than ever. So much of my life I have been away from Massachusetts. I left when I was in my early twenties and yet the image of me in his dad let me know I could not be forgotten.

One of the roles he played was that of Santa Claus. I could not even figure out enigma of Santa until I was in 4th grade. It was fun to see nana and eat all the fancy ethnic dishes. There was time to talk about sports and get your picture taken. At one of those events I was singing Christmas Carols loud and carefree and I recall Aunt Rita's words. "Oh he is going to save the family/world" or words to that effect. There was the Swedish music that would make me laugh and lots of time to eat. Oh how I loved to eat and at least then hardly gained a pound.

There is much more than I could write. I can only share highlights that can stir up memories in you and other family. I know we spent at least one summer with your family at the Cape during the time of the Herring run. I remember when I was at your house as I awaited the birth of one of my siblings and thought your ceiling was going to come down. It must have been a bad dream. Then there was the time I was housed in anticipation of surprising my sister Kim at her wedding. I don't know if you all knew that I barely made the plane that took me out of Kansas City. I was there just before the plane took off. And then Uncle George kidded about me staying with George Junior and we went over to see him for a time. He liked to think about stirring up some trouble, knowing that we believed in different ways. The highlight was seeing my sister and weeping as we embraced each other. I was so glad that your family could have a part in me having that memory.

I wish you all nothing but the best. I kept thinking I would figure out that I would spend some time picking apples. Unfortunately I am in the midst of starting a new position and could not do that. I hope you keep me in mind for other family functions. One of the thing that has stayed with me the most was how George Junior was there for me when I was in a State Hospital eons ago. He was one of the only family members that came to see me and I even got to go off somewhere away from the hospital for a time in his vehicle. (I think it was a van). I say this only to celebrate how well you were raised. Sure there were different beliefs, what spoke louder was that someone cared and I pray that spirit of wanting to love and care endures forever. It is moments like those that give people like me hope and it is out of those moments I am passionate to want to be caring to others with what I believe. I am so thankful for Uncle George and all of you who would not be here without him. I look forward to seeing you soon.
cousin Gary