Newspaper solves mystery of wedding ring
Steve Hawkins lived in Southeast Portland in the 1980s. He rented a house with a roommate. One day, he found a gold wedding ring in the rental house.
Most people would sell it, he thought. But Steve kept the ring. Why? It was somebody’s ring, he said. He thought he might find its owner.
Steve read a story in The Oregonian newspaper about another lost ring. The newspaper helped find its owner. So Steve looked for the ring he found in the 1980s.
There was writing inside the ring. It said: “Lillian to Albin, Oct. 1, 1943.”
The Oregonian newspaper helped with research. It found a match. In 1943, Albin Puodziunas married Lillian Opal Seeley.
The newspaper reporter learned that Lillian died in 2011. The obituary (a newspaper article about someone who died) said her husband’s name was Albin Pajunas. That man died in 2000.
The newspaper reporter found Albin and Lillian’s son, Michael. He lives in North Portland now. However, he remembers his family renting the same house in Southeast Portland in the 1970s.
Michael explained that his father changed the spelling of his last name from Puodziunas to Pajunas. He thought it was easier to pronounce.
Michael doesn’t know what he will do with the ring now, but the mystery of its owner is solved.
-This story was first published in ESOL News Oregon April 17, 2020.
Check
Discuss
- Do people exchange rings in your country when they get married? What are other marriage traditions in your country or culture?
- Have you ever found something surprising in your house or on the street? What was it? What did you do with it?
- Steve found the wedding ring 40 years ago. He saved it until he could find its owner. That is a long time! Do you think you would have done the same thing? Why or why not?
- People who save too many things for a long time are called hoarders. This can become such a serious problem that people can become trapped in their own houses. Do you have any experience with hoarding? Can you understand what makes people do this? Fear? Mental illness? Poverty?
Write
- Lillian and Albin got married in 1943. Use your imagination to tell their story. What was their life like? We know they had at least one son, Michael. We also know that Albin died in 2000, and Lillian died in 2011. What happened in their family between 1943 and 2000?
- Have you ever lost something important like a wedding ring? What did you do? What do you do to avoid losing things? Are you an organized and neat person? How do you stay organized?
- Steve contacted the newspaper for help with his research to find the owner of the ring. Who can help you when you need to do research or solve a mystery? What are the characteristics of a good detective?
- The newspaper reporter helped Steve solve the mystery of the wedding ring by reading Lillian’s obituary. An obituary tells the story of a person’s life, including basic information like when and where they were born and died, work experience, and education. It also can note interesting facts that loved ones remember about the dead person, including hobbies and talents. Imagine your own obituary. What would it say? How will people remember you?
Sources
Gold, Ian. “Wedding Band, How Do They Make It ?” Www.youtube.com, 8 Apr. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPDi3ZxKpBA.
Swindler, Samantha. “40 Years Ago He Found a Wedding Ring under the Stairs. Now, He’s Found Its Owner.” Oregonlive, 14 Apr. 2020, www.oregonlive.com/living/2020/04/40-years-ago-he-found-a-wedding-ring-under-the-stairs-now-hes-found-its-owner.html. Accessed 17 Apr. 2020.
