There is an engraving inside this wedding band. It is scarcely visible. The letters read: R.U.W. to H.M.C Oct.6, 1915
It has been 100 years since my grandfather Roy Ulmer Walts,
placed this ring on my grandma Helene Mary’s left ring finger. She never took it off.
On October 21, 1966, the day she died in Hurley Hospital in
Flint, MI, it must have fallen off her finger, because the funeral director wanted
to know if she had a wedding ring and if we wanted it placed on her
finger. We had no clue it had been lost.
I drove to Flint and the hospital to ask if the ring had
been found and placed in lost and found.
The nice lady checked for me, but whispered, “If it fell off in her bed
clothes, whoever found it, probably kept it.”
Two weeks later, just on a whim and because it bothered me
so that grandma had been buried without
her wedding ring, I stopped into Hurley and checked again. This time, the same nice lady said, “I’m
going to check further.”
Fifteen minutes later she was back. “Can you describe the ring?”
“Yes—just a plain, thick, gold band, but
wait….there is an engraving inside with R.U.W and H. M.C.” I had just remembered my grandma telling me
of that engraving so many years ago. A
God whisper for sure.
The lady handed me a small brown paper envelope and
inside—grandma’s ring! “It was found in
the laundry room and put in the office.
We didn’t know who it belonged too.”
I hugged her, thanked her and we both wept.
I drove home, so happy and took it to my Daddy. He opened the little envelope and said, “I
can’t believe someone turned it in! Well,
it’s too late to bury it with Ma now…why don’t you just keep it.”
I put it on the middle finger of my right hand and have worn
it every day since---49 years.
When I
die, it will go to my oldest grand daughter, Helene Mary Rivard, who was named
after my grandma.
What a lovely story! I like it when things like that stay in the family from one generation to another.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's wedding rings were lost/stolen after she died. We couldn't find them but found a claim check in her purse for a jewelry store where we guessed she took them to be resized---she'd lost weigh. When I took the claim check to the store I made the mistake of telling the clerk that my mom died and when she went back in the office to look through the rings in envelopes she claimed there wasn't one for that claim number, that she must have picked it up. I was upset and it wasn't until I got home that I remembered seeing that clerk slip an envelope in her pocket. I can't prove she stole it but in my mind I'm sure she did.
What a wonderful ending. I got my mother's wedding ring and my sister got her engagement ring.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found it. That is a priceless family heirloom! I have my mom and my grandmothers wedding rings and will pass them on to Shauna when the time comes.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sharing.
ReplyDeleteI had my mother's ring - passed away 15 years ago
and recently gave it to my youngest daughter...
I had my great grandma's diamond. When she died it went to my grandma and then my mother and then me. I decided it would go to the oldest girl in each generation. I gave it to Pam about 10 years ago--she rarely wore it, so she passed it down to my oldest grand daughter last week. We are a sentimental bunch and love keeping the things of our ancestors.
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