Class Ring Found At The Shark Pit Returned After 43 Years!

[rtde3]

WARNING: Long Story!
I have been waiting to post this story because I was supposed to be receiving a picture of the happy owner with his returned ring. If & when I do, I will add it to this post.
Back in September I was hunting in the water at The Shark Pit when I found this nice class ring! (For those of you that do not know about The Shark Pit, Click here http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,42179.0.html)
Anyway, this ring comes up in great shape with very little dirt & looks almost brand new.  It had 3 initials engraved in it & said Jeb Stuart High School 1963. It also said Virginia on the side of it. So that night I Googled the name & found a website for the school’s alumni assoc.  On that site was a list of names with email address & other contact info. for each year since the school opened in 1958. So I emailed every name listed under the class of 1963. I told them about the ring & the 3 initials that were inside it & asked for any help they could give me to track down the owner of the ring. Within 1 hour a lady from Tenn. emailed me back to say she knew who it belonged to because she checked her year book and he was the only one in that class with those 3 initials. She also told me she had just talked with him at their 40th year class reunion in 2003! I was very happy to hear this because I did not know if he would even still be alive. I figured if he was 18 years old in 1963, chances are that he went to the war in Vietnam & might not have made it back. I found out from him later that he did go to Vietnam for a few years & came home in 1969. I also received another email from an old high school friend of his who also had checked his year book & came up with the same name. But he had missed seeing him at the reunion in 2003. The lady in Tenn. told me he was now a lawyer in Va. Beach & gave me his office phone #.
So I called his office & asked to speak with him. His secretary told me he was in a meeting & asked if she could take a message. I told her just to have him call me back & gave her my phone #. She then asked me if I was a lawyer. I told her no, that I was just some guy who had found his class ring. She said “his high school class ring?” I said yes. She said “He’s 62 years old!” I said well that would make since because the ring I had in my hand said Class of 1963 on it! She said “Oh my God! He will really want to talk with you! Let me give you his voice mail!”. I then left him a message telling him I had found a ring from his high school & class year and it had his 3 initials in it. And that I really thought it was his because of his 2 class mates that had emailed me. I left all my contact info. & waited for him to call me back.   Well almost a week went by & no phone call? Mean time both his class mates kept emailing me asking if I had heard from him & how he reacted when I told him the news? They were just as excited about this as I was! Finally I looked up his law office online & got his email address. I sent him an email telling him once again about the ring, and assuring him this was not a scam or hoax of any kind. And that I did not want any reward for the ring. That I just wanted to see it go back to the rightful owner. And if he could just tell me if he had lost his class ring & where he lost it I would know for sure that it was his and would send it back to him for free! He did email me back & said that he had lost his ring. But had a hard time believing that I could have found it because of how long ago it was & where he lost it. He told me he lost it swimming at a beach back in July of 1963. (The same month & year yours truly was being born by the way!) So he lost it right after he graduated. No wonder it looked so new when I found it! He also told me it had an aquamarine blue stone for his birthday in March. Well I had never told him or his friends where I found it or what color the stone was so I knew it must be his! I emailed him back & said it was indeed his ring & sent it to him that day.
He finally called me when he received the ring & we talked for awhile. He told me he was shocked that after 43 years he had his ring back! He said he never thought he would see it again and hadn’t even thought about it in many years. He also thought it was amazing that I was able to track him down. He thanked me for being so honest & putting forth the effort to get it back to him. He asked me if he could give me anything or at least pay me back for the postage. I told him no, that it made my day just to give it back to him. He said he was going to take some pictures of him with the ring & send them to me with a letter. I did get the letter a few weeks later but have yet to receive any pictures. (The pictures you see below are ones I took before sending it back)
I did also email his friends back to let them know how it turned out. His old friend did end up calling the owner about his ring & had a great time just talking about old times for the first time since high school & they were going to try to get together soon. I was glad to hear that this ring had got them back in touch after all these years!
I have to tell you guys, it is a great feeling giving something like this back to someone even if you don’t get to see the smile on their face!!!  Here is a copy of the letter he sent me. I think it makes for a happy ending to this story!

XXXXXX/XXXXXX, P.C.
ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW
1234   XXXX  ROAD
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA 23451-6365

                                                       TELEPHONE (555) 555-5555
JACK   -   ------------                          FACSIMILE   (555) 555-5555
                                           E- mail:XXX@XXX.com
                                                       Our File No. 1963

October 23, 2006


Mr. Rob Taylor
XXX  XXXX XX
XXXXX, Maryland 12345


Dear Rob:

I apologize for this late response.  I have been out of my office for most of the time since you mailed my high school class ring.

Needless to say, I was surprised to be contacted by you to inform me that you found my ring, particularly in view of the fact that I lost it in the summer of 1963.

Shortly after my graduation from JEB Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia, I went to the beach with a number of my classmates to celebrate. 

I do remember how I lost it.  I was in the water throwing a ball and it flew off my then skinny finger.  I am now approximately 50 pounds heavier than I was then, so I can now put it on my little finger, with a little effort.

After receiving it, I asked my wife of 35 years if she would go steady with me and wear the ring on a chain around her neck, just as we did back in the early 60s.  She accepted.

I genuinely appreciate the effort you made to find me after finding my ring.  It certainly makes for an interesting story to tell my friends.  Should the old folks I graduated with in 1963 get together for another reunion, it will be my first topic of discussion.

Thank you again.  I hope someday to meet you.  I will get a picture to you as soon as I figure out how to load a digital photo into my computer.

With kind regards, 

Very truly yours,
Jack X. XXXX

[Postalrevnant]

RTDE that is truly outstanding to be able to find the owner after such a long time.

I salute you for you research and time in returning that ring.  Very awesome!!

Postalrevnant

[Mirage]

Great story.  Thanks for the write up.  1963 was the year I was born also.

Yeah, I could imagine he would have a hard time believing it....You should have just showed up to his office, handed him the ring and have asked him "Is this yours?".  Bet his jaw would have dropped to the floor!

Bob

[rtde3]

RTDE that is truly outstanding to be able to find the owner after such a long time.

I salute you for you research and time in returning that ring.  Very awesome!!
Postalrevnant

Thanks!

Great story.  Thanks for the write up.  1963 was the year I was born also.
Yeah, I could imagine he would have a hard time believing it....You should have just showed up to his office, handed him the ring and have asked him "Is this yours?".  Bet his jaw would have dropped to the floor!
Bob

I thought it was pretty wild that not only was it the same year but the same month I was born! He may have even lost it on my birthday! We will never know. I had made plans to make the 5 hour drive from my house to Va. beach to give it to him in person but he took so long getting back with me I had to cancel them & just mailed it to him.
Thanks!

[gold fish]

HOLY COW, you're 43 !??!?!??!??!?!?!?

[rtde3]

HOLY COW, you're 43 !??!?!??!??!?!?!?

Yes I am & I don't feel a day older than 42!

[birdman]

I would say that is probably one of the best ,most honerable things that I have heard of. Rtde you are a shining example of what a humanbeing should be all about.  Great job.

[Gypsy Heart]

Excellent story and deed! Thank you for sharing this with us! You are to be highly congratulated!

[mchamby]

Way to go Rob, excellent story. I am looking forward to spring and new adventures in the SHARK PIT............................
mchamby

[stoney56]

Rob, just one word comes to mind!

OUTSTANDING!

[Michigan Badger]

Great job Rob! A lot of folks would have just kept the ring and said the heck with it.

Hope he greased your palm with something ;)

Badger

[jeff of pa]

Awsome Story & Outcome Rob.

 Very Nice.

[River Rat]

Rob,

It makes me feel good all over reading stories like this.  People like you are one of a kind.

A salute to you for a very honorable deed.

 ;) RR

[snorton750]

 Beautiful ring, dosn't it feel great to know you have done something that many wouldn't have done. I found my first gold a month ago and it went back to it's owner. I havn't felt that good in some time.  Class of 63,,HUH,  maybe there is hope for my ring comming back I'm class of 64. Thanks for being you .  HH    Stan...

[rtde3]

Thanks Guys! And Thank You Jeff for putting this story in the Honorable Mention section!

[Rich in Texas]

Nice job Rob!!! That had to be a great feeling!

[pgill]

Great job Rob, I wish South Africa had class rings,,, just so I could give one back again  Keep up the great work, and looking forward to more of your great posts.

God bless
Peter

[hollowpointred]

your a good man rob, not just for this, but also for the effort you put into finding the soldier whos dog tag you found. im proud to be able to call you an aquaintance! ;)

[rtde3]

Nice job Rob!!! That had to be a great feeling!

Yes it was! And still is!
Thanks!

Great job Rob, I wish South Africa had class rings,,, just so I could give one back again  Keep up the great work, and looking forward to more of your great posts.
God bless
Peter

Thanks Peter!

your a good man rob, not just for this, but also for the effort you put into finding the soldier whos dog tag you found. im proud to be able to call you an aquaintance! ;)

Thank you very much!!

[lostdutchman]

That's cool to be able to return the ring after so many years..good job

[Nana40]

Beautiful story, Rob.  I am proud to know you. 

                            Nana

[rtde3]

That's cool to be able to return the ring after so many years..good job

Yes it was! Thanks!

Beautiful story, Rob.  I am proud to know you. 

                            Nana

Thank You Nana! It's nice to know you too!

[Moonshadow]

Very cool story. I know this post is a couple of months old now, but the story is timeless!! Where's the pics??  ;) Congratulations on a job well done!

HH,
Moon

[rtde3]

Very cool story. I know this post is a couple of months old now, but the story is timeless!! Where's the pics??  ;) Congratulations on a job well done!

HH,
Moon

Thanks Moon!
Sadly, I have not received the pictures he said he would send.

[usarose]

Very cool story. I know this post is a couple of months old now, but the story is timeless!! Where's the pics??  ;) Congratulations on a job well done!

HH,
Moon

Thanks Moon!
Sadly, I have not received the pictures he said he would send.

I would give him another call for the pictures for your book - its a legend in the writing man - priceless actually.
Your Shark Pit stories are great.
Keep them coming - you are a great man already and only 43 - wow.
Rob
Atl GA

[RONC(OR)]

Great job  WTG

[Southern_Boy]

Great Job and you are an Outstanding Individual! I lost my class ring when I graduated and I know the area in Virginia where I lost it. I am hoping this summer to take a few days off and go down there and visit the site.

[rtde3]

Re: Class Ring Found At The Shark Pit Returned After 43 Years!