One Tiffin woman’s collection began about 50 years ago, and as the collection grows she doesn’t plan on stopping.

Donna Perry, of Tiffin, began collecting dolls and bells as the result of an event that occurred during her childhood.

Perry said her family moved from Kentucky to Ohio when she was 8 years old. Perry’s husband, Carl Perry, said Donna didn’t have much when she was a child.

“I was the oldest of five girls,” Donna said. “We didn’t have much, I only remember having two dolls. Anything you didn’t have to have, we didn’t have. We only had what we had to.”

Donna said her family left the dolls in Kentucky when they were preparing to move to Ohio. When the family came back to Kentucky to collect some belongings, her dolls had been ruined because of rain. She said it made her further appreciate dolls and has led to her collecting and preserving hundreds of dolls and bells over the past half-century.

Donna now estimates she has more than 40 dolls and more than 100 bells.

“We had so little when I grew up,” she said. “Dolls just amaze me, even yet.”

Carl, who has been married to Donna for 61 years, said the collection of bells started later, about 40 years ago.

Donna said she has bought some of the items in her collection, but many of them were given to her as gifts from family and friends.

Family friend Kathy Sykes said once people realized Donna liked dolls and bells, they knew what they should give her as gifts for Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries.

“Once people know you like something, they think of dolls and bells when they think of Donna,” Sykes said.

Donna thanked her family for contributing to her collections, including her daughter Becky Reitz, who said she loves the different objects in the collection.

“I just collect whatever they give me,” Donna said, adding that the collection steadily has grown over the years. “We have been married a lot of years.”

Some of Donna’s favorite items include bells or dolls that light up, play music or have other unique characteristics. She said she enjoys having cabinets to display the items in. Carl said about 36 years ago, he had to buy a new cabinet to display the objects.

One item that is special to Donna is a doll given to her by her son Randy. She said the doll’s name is Randy Jr. Donna said she received the item from her son at a time when Randy thought he’d never be able to have children. His wife had several miscarriages, before having a son, Kingsley, two years ago.

“They didn’t think they’d ever have kids,” Donna said.

Donna said some of the items she has received were souvenirs on trips or were given to her by family members who visited different areas all over the world. She has items that were acquired in places such as the Cayman Islands, the Smoky Mountains, Pennsylvania and from areas all over Ohio.

Carl said he supports his wife’s hobby.

“I like the dolls; I love (the hobby) too,” he said.

Donna said as her collection has grown, she has had to create more space in her home for it. She said the family added a sunroom to their home, which they have lived in for more than 50 years. Some of the items now are in the sunroom. She said having more objects that take up more space will not stop her from continuing to collect the items she loves.

“(The family) brings all kinds of stuff to me,” she said.“Any time they find something, they can bring it to me.”

IMAGES:

PHOTO BY JIMMY FLINT Perry shows one of her favorite bells from her collection. She said the bell was given to her and her husband Carl as a 50th-anniversary gift. The two have been married for 61 years.

PHOTO BY JIMMY FLINT Donna Perry (left) speaks to her daughter Becky Reitz while the two look over Perry’s collection of dolls and bells.

PHOTO BY JIMMY FLINT Donna Perry displays one of her favorite dolls from her collection.