Lost ring goes full circle back to veteran

A ring, lost in a parking lot nine months ago, made its way back to its owner Thursday.

The ring wasn’t just any ring. It was a Purple Heart ring, and Leeton resident Rhonda Jewell wanted to find its owner.

Jewell’s husband found the ring in the parking lot of Lowe’s in Warrensburg, where he works.

With a little help from the Military Order of the Purple Heart of Missouri, the Jewells returned the ring to its owner, a Vietnam veteran who did not wish to be identified.

The ring, which Jewell said was “really well-worn,” was inscribed with the veteran’s initials and the division he served with.

Jewell said she had put an ad in the paper, called veterans organizations and spoke with the Missouri Veterans Home.

Finally she got a call back from Adjutant W.J. “Bud” Whyte, with the state organization.

The Jewells were able to return the ring Thursday.

Whyte said as adjutant, he has access to the roster of all the members in the state. Once Jewell was able to give him the initials, he found and contacted the veteran.

“He was very pleased,” he said.

Whyte said he gets calls from veterans and veterans’ families to find people they served with, but not about lost property.

“This is the first one I’ve received. It was an easy one to resolve,” he said.

Whyte said he appreciated the Jewells’ effort.

“Getting the ring back is really really nice,” he said.

Jewell said it was important to her to find the owner of the ring, as her husband is retired from the Air Force.

“That’s kind of why it’s important to us. Not that other citizens don’t understand, but it’s really important to us,” she said.