I used to play golf with Peter at Raleigh Country Club.  I was a huge Hogan fan and went through various iron sets and even tested some of Hogan’s clubs for Peter before they went on the market, like the Vector shafts. Our mutual friend Sammy Brewer always had two or three Hogan Powerthrust wedges in his bag that Peter was always on the lookout for. We made trips to Myrtle Beach and played almost every Sunday Morning. Peter, known as “Chopper” around the club would read the Sunday paper between shots the entire front nine. There are so many Peter stories I remember but can't tell here. There is one that makes me smile just writing about it. Peter let me be his room mate for one year as I was going through a divorce and needed a place to hang my clothes so to speak. He always went home to “Waltham” for Christmas and that one year asked me to drive him to the airport. Upon exiting the car I said something like say hello to your Mom and have a nice holiday. Peter turned back and said,'' I've got to fly to Fort Worth for meetings and won’t be back till the second week of January. When I come back, be gone!” I can still see his effort to keep from laughing to this day. I think I still have an old pair of T100 Hogan slacks somewhere, Chopper gave me for my birthday. AP cuffs and Hogan embroidered on the pocket. Knowing Peter he probably wrote them off as “Personal Use”

What a great friend friend, golfer and one time room mate!  I’ll miss you Chop!

If there was one dessert that Peter inhaled beginning in his late teens and into adulthood, it would be Mom’s marble cake w/her homemade chocolate frosting.  The rest of us were pretty lucky to even get a slice of this delicious delicacy!!  While Brian and I were fighting over her brownies, hermits and Whoopi pies, Peter and his marble cake were inseparable.  When he first moved to Fort Worth in his early 20’s, Mom had to bake him a marble going away cake.  When he’d fly home, she’d have to have his cake waiting for him.  He’d rush through the door, throw his luggage everywhere and run immediately to the kitchen.  No hugs!  Just cake!!  His friends would stop by too when he was in town knowing that she made it; although he rarely shared much.  And one of his co-workers and dear friend, Peter Dalton, became her #2 cake fan, stopping by often when he knew this cake was in her kitchen.  Anyways, Mom & Peter’s special cake bond was a pretty sweet treat!!!

Peter’s elementary class at St. Joseph’s had decided to put on a play before Xmas about the birth of Christ.  All of his classmates participated and were assigned various parts including the roles of Mary, Joseph, the Wisemen, Shepherds and their flock.  Mom was so proud and also happy because he’d stay to practice after school which meant he had less time to get in trouble. One evening we were all sitting down to dinner and she began to inquire which students would be playing the above roles.  He told her but didn’t say who he was playing.  So she said Peter, what special person will you be in the play.  He put his fork down, placed both hands on his chest and announced “I am the baby Jesus”!!   Trying not to lose her composure she replied “Peter, do you mean that the nuns gave YOU the role of Jesus?”  Proudly he answered “yes”!   She promptly left the table laughing all the way down the hallway

Peter and I were both salesman for the Ben Hogan Company for many years. Many very fond memories and laughs. If Peter was in the room there was going to be laughter and funny stories. I will truly miss him and am very thankful for the times I had with him!! RIP my friend!

I invited Peter to play in a member/guest tournament at Exeter CC during the summer of 1978.
Rather than arrive for a cookout the night before as planned, he played basketball on the old MDC concrete court in Waltham. He later showed up at my home about 4:00 AM having consumed enough beer to dull the pain in his wrist which had swollen to twice its size after being slammed down on the concrete during the game. Playing golf in a few hours did not appear likely.

With the wrist looking no better in the early morning but feeling bad that the day's arrangements were final, Peter said "Let's try it...We can always drop out if I can't swing." So we teed off with everyone else.

With only six holes left to play, Peter was four under gross on his own ball. Playing a par five, he squarely stymied his huge drive dead behind a monstrous tree next to the parallel running river. After my second shot settled safely in front of the green, Peter said "This could be a great round so I'm not conceding it to a safety shot." He had about 200 yards straight to the green but straight was not an option. Rather, he aimed about 45 degrees right of the green to avoid the tree and hit a hook that must have traveled at least 260 yards on its circular journey to land just off the green...It was a combination of "Tin Cup" and the greatest golf shot I have ever witnessed.

He birdied that hole and one more to shoot a 64 which set a new course record (since broken several years later). 

Only after the round did I finally ask for the first time "How's the wrist?" and he replied "I wanted to cry on every swing but it feels pretty good right now."

He was both incredibly talented and ferociously competitive. 

When I was a little girl, my brothers enjoyed scaring me with stories about the “boogey-man” which left me petrified to sleep by myself at night!  My parents would hear me crying and then have to check my closet and look under my bed to make sure that the scary man wasn’t there. This went on for sometime and I think they were just plain tired of getting up each night to investigate these monsters.  So they made Peter come in and sleep in the other twin bed to make me feel better.  They probably chose Peter because a) he loved to sleep and didn’t care which bed he was in and b) he was not very good at helping around the house so they probably threatened him with chores if he said no.  Of course he chose protecting me at all costs and the deal worked out quite nicely for him as the bed was very comfortable.  And most mornings he would wake up to find me all snuggled in next to him but on the inside.  This way, that scary guy would get Peter first!!  I eventually grew out of my monster fears and sent him back to his room to be with Brian.  He just groaned.

Mom used to love sharing this unique Peter story.  He came home one day after school and slouched down at the kitchen table.  Mom got his Chips Ahoy cookies and milk and noticed that he looked a little sad and somewhat worried.  She said “Peter, is everything okay; you seem a little sad today.  He replied with “I am a bit sad today because someone in school told me that I was adopted and I never knew that.  Am I adopted?”  Mom paused for a moment and instantly relieved his fears by saying “Peter, if Dad and I were given a choice, do you really think we would have chosen you?”  Peter thought about it and knew right away that there was no way they would have picked him because he was always in some sort of trouble.  He smiled and knew that he was all theirs..

One snowy evening when I was little, I remember our Dad getting up to answer the phone.  It was our neighbor, Mrs. Wally who lived a few houses down the street.  She wanted to hire Brian to shovel out her driveway. She had requested Brian the week before but he wasn’t available so Dad sent Peter instead.  So when she spoke to Wally, she made it clear to him exactly what she wanted.  She stated  “I only want Brian; don’t even bother sending his brother”!!!!
Side note:  Dad always said that Peter was the only kid he knew who could shovel snow with one hand in his pocket.  But we’d like to think that Peter was way ahead of his time.  You see Mrs. Wally only paid a couple bucks for shoveling her very long driveway; we think Peter brilliantly did a lousy job on purpose so he’d never get asked again!!

Remembering Peter

Peter and I grew up together. I have attached some pictures I had of him. My memories are that he was a “wise guy”. A very funny wise guy. We played together at our house in Waltham, sledding, whiffle ball, croquet and of course basketball. I never beat him at HORSE. I went all through grammar school with him and then he headed to the Jesuits for High School. Quarterback Matt Ryan always reminded me of Peter so I always routed for the Falcons (if they were not playing the Patriots). All my memories of Peter are happy ones. You knew when you saw him he would make you laugh.

Love you Peter,

Cousin Jane McNamara (Bob’s daughter not Tom’s)

Peter's (my) Mother made delicious molasses cookies. She also encouraged us to eat as many as we wanted because they were so good for us ??? However, these were never a favorite of Peter's.

While attending Xavier HS, Peter began showing a great interest in these cookies, telling his Mother he really loved them now and wanted as many as he could have everyday in his lunch.

Mom was so pleased...until she attended a Xavier parent/student event where every family was to bring a dish to share. While standing by her big plate of cookies, a few classmates approached and told her how much they loved those cookies. When she replied "When have you had them before?", their reply was "Peter sells them around here all the time!"