A chance discovery led to a happy reunion as Lisa Pursel, left, a cashier for 25 years, presents a long-lost class ring to its original owner, Veronica Flood. The ring, found among donated items at the Valley River Humane Society Thrift Store, is once again where it belongs. Photo contributed by Veronica Flood
MURPHY – There are many treasures to be found at the thrift store, mostly things no longer needed in one home to be treasured in another.
A ring lost for about 41 years was reunited with its owner on Friday after being found by thrift store employees.
When a 1984 class ring was donated to the Valley River Humane Society Thrift two weeks ago, an employee had the idea to post it online since it was from a local high school.
The ring was inscribed with Andrew’s High School Class of 1984 with a blue stone and Virgo on the side, along with the name “Verona”.
The photo of the ring was posted on Facebook, within minutes several former classmates of the owner were soon tagging Veronica Flood, of Calhoun, Georgia, as the possible owner. Flood soon commented that the ring was indeed hers and that it had been lost since shortly after graduating high school.
“I lost my class ring not even a year after I graduated,” Flood said. “I was devastated to say the least as my mom saved many months to buy me a ring.”
Flood said her dad passed when she was 11 years old and had five siblings who her mother raised alone. Being able to save up to buy her daughter a class ring was important to the family.
“I actually thought I lost it at the lake because I couldn’t find it anywhere,” Flood said. “I shed many, many tears over losing that ring.”
While one mystery was solved, another mystery remains – where has the ring been all these years?
“The ring has been missing for 41 years and it’s almost in perfect condition other than a few dings on the bottom,” Flood said. “It sure doesn’t look like it’s been in a lake or even hidden in the dirt at all.”
Flood said she would really like to know who dropped the ring off at the thrift store and where it’s been, but she’ll accept the miracle of getting it back.
“Flood was thrilled to get her ring back,” Lisa Pursel, a cashier at the thrift store for 25 years said. “We are in need of more jewelry donations.”
For more information about donations, contact the Valley River Humane Society Thrift Store at valleyriverhumanesociety.org or by calling 837-6137.