hi, i would prepare some new beds with good rich compost and the light brown peatmoss then plant them in the new beds.if they have bee in same bed for that long they could use a change. they should bloomin 2 or 3 years.Ralfsmom

Your peony colony may be much reduced, but I think all is not lost and you may even still get blooms from the larger sized tuber clumps.
The good thing at least is that they are in their semi-dormant stage and probably at the safest time to be "disturbed and divided", which is what your husband basically did. The smaller clumps will take two to three years to bloom, but the larger clumps sooner.

I did that accidentally to my aunt's 30 year old clump (back when I was a newbie busy-body teenage "garden helper"). I thought to treat them like dahlias. My aunt planted the tubers all over and now there are several of this plant around the garden. Some of plants look just as large as the original mother plant in about 5 years time. They do grow and spread fast when "small and young" it seems.

So no worries. Just replant them now. Can even give some to friends if you like as you have "tons" of plants now at this point.

Thanks for the advice (and hope). Upon closer inspection, he only got ONE of the peonies (which got him out of the doghouse much sooner), so I will seize the opportunity to replant them elsewhere and to share with friends!