43
Struthers' man's peacocks find new home at Purple Cat ranch
STRUTHERS
A pair of paint-splotch-plumed peacocks that were originally a Struthers man’s gift to his wife have now become a gift to the public.
Chaz Sandie, 76, of Struthers, donated the birds – which he kept for four years and raised to adulthood – and their custom-built enclosure last week to Purple Cat’s Farmer Casey’s Ranch in Coitsville.
The birds – named Samson and Delilah – were a gift for his wife, Kathleen Misko, who loved their colorful feathers.
“They’re the prettiest birds on Earth,” Sandie said. “She just loved them.”
When Misko died in 2012, Sandie was left to care for the birds by himself. Though he loved having the birds in his yard, caring for them through the winter became too difficult; the low temperatures would freeze the peacocks’ water, forcing him to make as many as five trips a day to the pen to keep them hydrated. After learning of the aviary at Purple Cat’s Farmer Casey’s Ranch, Sandie decided the best solution for him and the birds was to donate them.
“I just know they’re going to make people happy,” he said.
Birds were more than just pretty wildlife to Sandie and his wife. In his backyard, Sandie has five birdhouses mounted to trees – four of which house nests of hatchlings – and a number of finch feeders.
One of these feeders even has a radio transmitter on it that carries the chirping of birds and the sounds of Lake Hamilton into his home.
“When my wife was sick, the transmitter let her listen to the birds since she couldn’t get outside. A friend of mine built it for us.”
Sandie speaks frequently and fondly of his many friendships. The peacocks came from a friend. The cage was built by a friend. The bird-feeder transmitter was installed by a friend.
He’s even made a spot in his yard a memorial for those he’s lost; a stone angel statue, sculpted by a YSU faculty member Tony Armeni, commemorates his wife.
His garage is filled with Pittsburgh Steelers memorabilia, including photos of when former players Bubby Brister, Merril Hoge and Mike Webster – whom he had met through friends – visited his home.
Inside, he has walls of photos of his and his wife’s adventures, and has a collection of 144 novelty phones – all operable – that he loves to show off.
Sandie’s collections – much like his peacocks – are just as much for others to enjoy as they are for him.
Though the peacocks no longer live on his property, he doesn’t consider the donation a goodbye.
“Oh I plan on visiting them,” he said. “I’ll be up there once a week, at least.”