Dear White’s,

On Wed. October 17, 2007, I had about an hour of sunlight left and went to a local elementary school to continue my grid. My very first target scanned, turned out to be a 1958 Owosso High School class ring in like new condition, at about 5 inches. I couldn¹t believe my eyes, as I had not found any gold up to this point!! After I wiped the smile from my face and deglazed my eyes I continued on. About four feet from there, my next target was dug and resulted in a men’s 14k wedding band!! Two gold finds back to back and not being in a beach environment!! I was in shock. I finished the short hunt with only picking up an additional 11 clad coins and went home. I cleaned the ring with water and a toothbrush and could see the ring had the owners initials clearly stamped inside.

The next morning, I shared my finds with my friends at coffee and then made a trip to the High School to try and locate the owner. The 1958 yearbook did not have a student that had a name with first and last initials but there was one with middle and last initials??? Thought that maybe he did not graduate, so the 1957 and 1956 yearbooks were pulled, both of which had one student with the first and last initials. Upon comparison to the senior photo, they all appeared to be the same student. I photocopied that page and left. (As a note, the senior, was the Class President).

Review of the High School Alumni log, showed that he lived in W. Palm Beach, Florida in 1999, but no phone directory reflected him living there anymore. Phone messages were left with the five people living in town, with the same last name, in an effort to find his whereabouts, yielding nothing. I then looked through the phone book for all the other males pictured on the photocopied page of my ³suspect, and found one that still lived here. Upon calling, the classmate’s number, his wife confirmed that he was a 1958 graduate, but was not at home, but was able to provide another classmates name and phone number, as she was organizing their 50th Class reunion.

About an hour later, one of the gentlemen that I had coffee with that morning, and had shown the ring to, stopped by my workplace, I told him that I thought that I had found the rings owner, and said his name. My friend, who is a retired business owner, looked at me in surprise and said that he used to work for my friend years ago, and that he is living in Gainesville Florida, not W. Palm Beach.

I went right to the phone and called information and got the phone number for my suspect, who uses his middle name rather than his first name. A lady answered the phone and confirmed that her husband was a graduate and President of the Class of 1958. I then told her that I am a metal detectorist and I believe that I had found his class ring. She was ecstatic and could not believe it. As it turns out, his wife of so many years, was his High School sweetheart then, and wore his class ring on a chain around her neck. One day in 1958, they had a disagreement and he took his ring back and lost it that day! She went on to say where he thought he had lost it, and I replied that, that is exactly the area that I had found it. Within 30 minutes, I received a call from my ring owner, I explained that I metal detect as a hobby, and that I had found something by the specific elementary school, and was wondering if he could guess what it was. In a surprised voice he correctly guessed my class ring.

In talking, we discussed the irony in the fact that I was born the year that he lost his class ring, 49 years later it is found and returned, in time for him to wear it, for the first time to his class reunion, 50 years later. Thank you Whites, for making a product that provides a never ending supply of enjoyment and an occasional opportunity to “feel good”.

Sincerely,

Edward B.

Whites fan forever