Heart of Polonia: KAREN PECK, PART ONE, INTRODUCTION:

I follow some Estate Sales in the Western NY area and came across one from the Estate of Karen Peck in Cheektowaga.

In the description there was a little girls picture and a more recent picture of her that looked like a person too young to be having an Estate Sale.

There was a baby scrapbook lovingly made by her aunt, Polish prayer books, a clipping of a 1st Communion picture that I noticed was from the Polish National Cathedral in Buffalo, and items from her broadcasting career.

I was intrigued! Something was pulling me there. I had never gone out of town to an Estate Sale.

My sister who was leaving soon for graduate school said she would take me for my birthday gift. It was a beautiful day. I waited outside in my wheelchair by Karen’s detached garage, because the house was not accessible.

I sent my mom and sister in to look for the items I mentioned. As I sat there waiting, I noticed how happy people seemed. One lady walked past me smiling carrying a broom, as if it was the greatest bargain of all time. I saw a gentleman leaving the house with a World War II Army uniform, another with some Buffalo Bills memorabilia. I too was happy to be at the sale after traveling about 95 miles.

I honestly had no idea what to expect. I started to think, wait a minute, is this what a life comes too? Is that all there is?

People just buying someone’s possessions; I needed to know who Karen Peck was. Many items were so personal. I could see she was much loved by her family.

They came out of the house showing me the piece of the scrapbook with the communion picture and I gave my approval. Next were the Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral Books, Polish prayer books, a Wedding Album, the little girl scrapbook, assorted pictures, a Polish looking scarf, a little change purse that reminded my mother of her grandmother. I didn’t know how much everything would cost. Only so many people were allowed in the house at a time, so they moved quickly.

My mother asked what had happened to Karen, and someone said they thought she died of cancer.

I asked my mom if she could buy her broadcasting items, and she didn’t know if we had enough money. We went on the first day when everything was full price. We couldn’t go back for the lower price days.

I went home and looked at the items I did purchase and it still bothered me about who Karen was and I could not stop thinking about it.

After the sale, I messaged the Estate company to see if there was anything left to purchase. I was told that whatever did not sell was hauled away by a trash company. I was devastated! I even called a few trash companies in the area to see if they picked up these items and they said they were not sure, but thought the items would already be gone.

What could I do? I did research. I started posting in the Western New York Facebook groups to see if anyone knew Karen Peck, did they go to school with her, work with her, etc. I started getting responses. I asked the Estate company if I could contact the family. They told me to stop posting on Facebook and asking about Karen because I was invading the family’s privacy and the company was getting bombarded with phone calls. (I found out that the family was happy someone cared about Karen and were very proud of her and did not have a problem with my inquiries, which I told them would probably turn into a story I would write about her.)

(On a side note, I found out there was another sale at Karen’s mother’s house, before her mother died. Interestingly, I had found some of those items on eBay from that first sale that I had been looking at to purchase. I tried bidding but was outbid.)

This was another one of the auctions that I was able to track down and never able to find out who purchased this item. If anyone knows, I am still interested. And this was before I ever heard of Karen.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1940s-photo-album-wwii-ft-mcclellan-2085900575

A friend of mine, Bob Johnson, had purchased one of the family photo albums and was using it on his site "Polonia Music," which he sadly has shut down. He offered to send me the album for my use, for which I am forever grateful.

ALSO:

I am still very interested in any items from KAREN PECK’S BROADCASTING CAREER or anything else someone might have purchased from either Karen’s mother Estate sale or her own.

Special thanks to Marty Biniasz for his contribution to my project.

Next I looked on “Find a Grave” and found pictures from one of the photo albums at the Estate sale I was interested in. I contacted the person who posted them. He said he sold the album back to one of Karen’s cousins and gave me his contact. I was able to contact Karen’s cousin, Ken.

Ken gave me the names of other people to talk to that knew Karen, and then I was able to contact Karen’s other cousin, Michael and his mother, Irene (Karen’s aunt.) He said that Karen had died from complications of a fall.

When I looked up Karen to gain more details, I was able to find this biography from "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1996.

Karen Ann Peck

Television and radio producer, congressional press secretary, spokesperson

Born Jul. 15, 1957, Buffalo (NY), U.S.

Education: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) (in broadcast journalism), State University of New York (SUNY), Fredonia, 1979; certified real estate broker, 1984.

Career: anchor, reporter, WDOE Radio, Dunkirk (NY), 1977; reporter, Jamestown Post Journal (NY), 1977; in Buffalo - news director, anchor, producer, WUTV, 1977, reporter, WGR Radio, producer, special segment producer, reporter, writer, assignment editor, WGR-TV, 1979-82, producer, Creative Resource Group, 1983-84, WKBW-TV, 1984-86, and "Over 50" (TV program for elderly), 1989-91; producer, WCAU-TV (CBS), Philadelphia (PA), 1986-91; press secretary and campaign spokesperson to U.S. congressman Robert A. Borski, 3rd District, Pennsylvania, 1991 -.

Author: numerous lectures.

Member of: founder, Kosciuszko Foundation, Philadelphia chapter; joint congressional / city group members to revise U.S. Defense Department decision to close a Philadelphia Navy facility.

Honors: Outstanding Sophomore of the Year, 1973; Best Newscast Award, Associated Press, 1984; Honorary Citizen award, U.S. Veterans, 1990; Citizen Recognition award, United States Navy (USN), 1993; listed in Who's Who of American Teenagers, 1973.

Language: English.

Hobbies: music, theater, scuba diving

There will be more details on Karen and her family in a series of upcoming blogs. There will be many photos of her mother’s family (Giczkowski’s) growing up. They were the picture takers and thankfully labeled everything!

They were proud members of the Polish National Catholic Church and saved some Anniversary books from the church, and pictures of their activities from the church. I have seen and read many books on Polish American Roman Catholic families, but not from the Polish National. I think you will find this family interesting.

I hope you will continue supporting my blog, there are many more Polonia stories to share.

Dziekuje!