DocBeav
Bronze Member
After being lost for 63 years it's back with it's owner! 1951 Class Ring Returned.
Earlier in the month I posted Gold Ring # 17 which I had found just after the heavy wind storms here were ending. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/478234-great-hunt-today-lots-more-stuff-dig-gold-ring-17-some-silver-more-stuff.html
After the clean up, I checked out where the ring was from and was surprised to see it was from Bethlehem Pennsylvania, which is not far from where I grew up, and was from the "Bethlehem Technical High School" as marked on the ring. I looked it up online and discovered it was the school that was a pre-cursor to the current Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_Area_School_District ) ( Home - Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School )The ring was marked inside with the initials F. J. T. and was hoping they could lead to it's eventual return.
I contacted the school to see if they had access to records from that year but they are housed somewhere else in the school district so they directed me to a point of contact there. Interestingly enough, I was told by the person from the school that my email and photos caused a bit of a buzz at the school there as it's their 50th anniversary (the new school) and staff members were interested in how the story ends, well wait no more! We found him!
It had been about a week or more since my last email with someone from the school when, I had passed off the initials, and was starting to wonder if they were having problems finding the person or maybe didn't have any way to contact them. Then, I get the email (I'll post it all here as I have the owners permission to do so):
Hello my name is Francis Tratnyek . I found out you found my class ring of 1951 which I lost in Virgina Beach sometime in 1952. Me and two sailors took three girls to Va.. beach to party all night long. We got ready to leave and I couldn't find my ring. Needless to say I told nobody I lost it. I talked to the principle and she sent me the picture of it . I know that is my ring and you could call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx and we could discuss how i can get it.or you could e-mail me at xxxxxx. This is a story no one would believe.
I retired from the US NAVY in 1972.and lived here in Florida ever since.I don't know where you live and just get in touch with me at your convenience. I cant wait to see that ring since my parents bought it for me. the picture looks in good shape.Hope to hear from you.
Sincerely
Francis Tratnyek
I was psyched! Of course I got in touch with him right away and we had a nice long chat on the phone. Frank is 82 years young and seemed so happy to hear that he was getting his ring back! He told me a little more of the story and where he had lost it (somewhere where there were lots of dunes) but the beach has changed alot since then and most of the dunes have houses on them. It seems like it's in the same area (1/2 mile or so) from where he probably dropped it and had been buried in the sand for some time before the storms kicked it loose. Frank had said that he never told anyone about losing this ring. It had been a gift from his parents as a graduation present and he was afraid they would be angry. He said he always wondered what happened to it well, wonder no more Frank!
Frank seems like quite a character, he did a full stint in the Navy, retired, then was a postal worker for another stint and retired from there as well (double dipper!) and it sounds like he's been around the world twice and talked to everybody in it once! Frank had asked if I wanted something in return or what my favorite restaurant was but I just said I wanted permission to share the story with others and if he could send some photos of him with his ring that would be great. I received the photos the other day and it's pretty obvious that Frank is a happy man! I'm glad to see he can still wear it on his pinky! (now you can show it off on your next church cruise Frank and have a cool story to go with it!)
I'd like to thank the school and the district for taking an interest in getting the ring back to Frank and want to congratulate them on their 50 year anniversary! To this year's graduating class, you have the whole world ahead of you, look to Frank as an example of how hard work and dedication can pay off! (My son graduates from high school this year as well so he's in the same boat as you guys!)
I'd like to thank everyone here who takes the time to read this and look at the photos, I know it's kinda long-winded sorry!
Hell, I'd even like to thank the grumpy dude who came out and yelled at me the day I found it because I was "too close" to his stairs (what was left of them after the storm) . Apparently he thought I was going to come onto "his property" and rob him of all the aluminum, iron and crap that was now sitting where his stairs used to be. Hey buddy, I found the ring just down from where your stairs used to be...not on your land dude!........Thbbbbbbt!
I hoping I can link up with Frank on a possible trip to Fla in Jan. If so we can get together, have a beer and tell Navy stories though I'm sure his will be better than mine!
DocBeav
Earlier in the month I posted Gold Ring # 17 which I had found just after the heavy wind storms here were ending. http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/478234-great-hunt-today-lots-more-stuff-dig-gold-ring-17-some-silver-more-stuff.html
After the clean up, I checked out where the ring was from and was surprised to see it was from Bethlehem Pennsylvania, which is not far from where I grew up, and was from the "Bethlehem Technical High School" as marked on the ring. I looked it up online and discovered it was the school that was a pre-cursor to the current Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethlehem_Area_School_District ) ( Home - Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School )The ring was marked inside with the initials F. J. T. and was hoping they could lead to it's eventual return.
I contacted the school to see if they had access to records from that year but they are housed somewhere else in the school district so they directed me to a point of contact there. Interestingly enough, I was told by the person from the school that my email and photos caused a bit of a buzz at the school there as it's their 50th anniversary (the new school) and staff members were interested in how the story ends, well wait no more! We found him!
It had been about a week or more since my last email with someone from the school when, I had passed off the initials, and was starting to wonder if they were having problems finding the person or maybe didn't have any way to contact them. Then, I get the email (I'll post it all here as I have the owners permission to do so):
Hello my name is Francis Tratnyek . I found out you found my class ring of 1951 which I lost in Virgina Beach sometime in 1952. Me and two sailors took three girls to Va.. beach to party all night long. We got ready to leave and I couldn't find my ring. Needless to say I told nobody I lost it. I talked to the principle and she sent me the picture of it . I know that is my ring and you could call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx and we could discuss how i can get it.or you could e-mail me at xxxxxx. This is a story no one would believe.
I retired from the US NAVY in 1972.and lived here in Florida ever since.I don't know where you live and just get in touch with me at your convenience. I cant wait to see that ring since my parents bought it for me. the picture looks in good shape.Hope to hear from you.
Sincerely
Francis Tratnyek
I was psyched! Of course I got in touch with him right away and we had a nice long chat on the phone. Frank is 82 years young and seemed so happy to hear that he was getting his ring back! He told me a little more of the story and where he had lost it (somewhere where there were lots of dunes) but the beach has changed alot since then and most of the dunes have houses on them. It seems like it's in the same area (1/2 mile or so) from where he probably dropped it and had been buried in the sand for some time before the storms kicked it loose. Frank had said that he never told anyone about losing this ring. It had been a gift from his parents as a graduation present and he was afraid they would be angry. He said he always wondered what happened to it well, wonder no more Frank!
Frank seems like quite a character, he did a full stint in the Navy, retired, then was a postal worker for another stint and retired from there as well (double dipper!) and it sounds like he's been around the world twice and talked to everybody in it once! Frank had asked if I wanted something in return or what my favorite restaurant was but I just said I wanted permission to share the story with others and if he could send some photos of him with his ring that would be great. I received the photos the other day and it's pretty obvious that Frank is a happy man! I'm glad to see he can still wear it on his pinky! (now you can show it off on your next church cruise Frank and have a cool story to go with it!)
I'd like to thank the school and the district for taking an interest in getting the ring back to Frank and want to congratulate them on their 50 year anniversary! To this year's graduating class, you have the whole world ahead of you, look to Frank as an example of how hard work and dedication can pay off! (My son graduates from high school this year as well so he's in the same boat as you guys!)
I'd like to thank everyone here who takes the time to read this and look at the photos, I know it's kinda long-winded sorry!
Hell, I'd even like to thank the grumpy dude who came out and yelled at me the day I found it because I was "too close" to his stairs (what was left of them after the storm) . Apparently he thought I was going to come onto "his property" and rob him of all the aluminum, iron and crap that was now sitting where his stairs used to be. Hey buddy, I found the ring just down from where your stairs used to be...not on your land dude!........Thbbbbbbt!
I hoping I can link up with Frank on a possible trip to Fla in Jan. If so we can get together, have a beer and tell Navy stories though I'm sure his will be better than mine!
DocBeav
