lost ring madison Tag | The Ring Finders

Lost Ring Found in Lake Mendota: Pete’s Wedding Ring Recovery

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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A wedding ring lost in Lake Mendota was found and returned in under 16 hours. Read how professional ring recovery works — and how we found Pete's ring.      lost ring lake mendota madison wi     

 

How Pete Lost His Wedding Ring in Lake Mendota

Pete was out on his boat, anchored on Lake Mendota, playing catch with his son using a football. After a couple of tosses back and forth, he looked down at his hand and realized his wedding ring was gone. He’d never taken it off in 18 years of marriage — and now it was somewhere on the bottom of the lake. Pete and his son spent the next two hours « crab walking » around the boat, feeling along the lake bed with their hands while keeping their heads just above the water. They found a nice pair of sunglasses … but no wedding ring.

Before heading home, Pete did two things right that made all the difference:

  • He recorded the GPS coordinates of the boat’s anchor point
  • He had a cell phone photo taken from the boat earlier that day

Why a Lost Ring Search in Open Water Is So Difficult

Open water searches are hard because there are no landmarks to work from once you’re in the lake — no walls, no dock, no fixed points to measure against. A search area that seems small standing on a boat can feel enormous once you’re actually in the water trying to define its edges. That’s where the GPS coordinates and the photo came in. GPS from the boat is valuable, but it’s rarely captured the instant a ring is lost, and boats drift around their anchor point — especially in wind, which there was plenty that day. The cell phone photo turned out to be just as important: the tree line on the horizon acts almost like a fingerprint, letting me cross-reference the photo against the GPS point to pin down almost exactly where the boat had been sitting.

 

Finding the Ring

I was up early the next morning and in the water as the sun was rising. I set a flag at the GPS coordinates and started searching in a methodical grid pattern. The first 20 minutes turned up the usual lake debris — soda pop tabs, bottle caps, scattered bits of metal. Then I got a strong, rich, repeatable tone. I knew before I even dug that this was it. One scoop into the sandy bottom, a quick sift through my fingers, and there it was: Pete’s ring, exactly as described.

Lost Ring Found in Lake Mendota — Reunited in Under 16 Hours

Pete’s ring had been on his finger for 18 years. It was lost in Lake Mendota on a Sunday afternoon and back on his hand by Monday — less than 16 hours after it went into the water. I know there has been a huge gap of time between my posts here on The Ring Finders – but that doesn’t mean that I ever stopped finding lost rings. Pete’s ring was our Lost Ring #207 … crazy!

Here’s the Google Reviews from both Pete and his wife Jackie:

« My husband lost his wedding ring in Lake Mendota yesterday and after hours of searching, hope was dwindling. Dan was incredibly responsive, asked for specific details about the area, and eagerly headed to the lake early in the morning. Our communications began at 8pm last night and at 6:30am this morning, he sent a photo of the recovered ring. Very impressed! We HIGHLY recommend Dan if you ever find yourself in a similar situation. »

« Dan is the man! I lost my wedding ring in Lake Mendota. My ring wasn’t lost for more than 24 hours! I’m so grateful for his expertise, he is a true professional willing to help others in need. Thank You Dan! »

A Quick Note on Posting About Your Lost Ring Publicly

If you lose a ring in a lake, it’s natural to want to spread the word — post in a local Facebook group, ask friends to keep an eye out. Just be cautious about publicly sharing the exact search location. Rings made of gold or platinum can attract people who’ll go « treasure hunting » on their own, which can complicate or compromise a professional search. It’s better to work directly with a recovery specialist like  my business, LostAndFoundRing.com and keep exact coordinates private until the ring is found.

Lost a Ring in Lake Mendota? Here’s What to Do

If you’ve lost a ring in Lake Mendota — or any lake in the Madison, WI area — here’s what helps most:

  • Note the GPS coordinates as close to the moment you realize it’s gone as possible.
  • Don’t rely on memory alone for location — landmarks on shore matter more than you’d think.
  • Check your phone for photos taken that day; the background can help pinpoint your exact spot.
  • Avoid posting exact coordinates publicly — reach out to a professional instead.
  • Contact a specialist quickly — the sooner a search happens, the less chance of the ring shifting or being buried further by lake sediment.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to find a lost ring in a lake? It depends on water clarity, depth, and how precisely the location is known. With good GPS and photo reference points, searches can often be completed within a few hours — sometimes on the very first pass.

Do I need GPS coordinates to find my lost ring? GPS coordinates dramatically improve the odds of a successful search, but they’re not strictly required. Landmarks, photos, and a clear description of the area can also help narrow down a search zone.

What should I do immediately after losing a ring in water? Mark your location (GPS if possible), avoid disturbing the lake bed further by digging around yourself, check for any photos from that day, and contact a professional ring recovery specialist as soon as possible.

Dan Roekle – Lost and Found Ring, LLC

 

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Lost Wedding Rings Found in Potted Fern– Evansville, Wisconsin

  • from Menomonee Falls (Wisconsin, United States)
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Evansville, Wisconsin resident, Randena Soldner, discovered her wedding rings missing from her hand after clearing fallen leaves and twigs from her picturesque lawn and garden. The shock of losing her rings was almost more than she could bear. Despite her and her husband’s best search efforts, the ring seemed destined to be lost forever. That’s when she discovered The Ring Finder’s directory of metal-detecting specialists and reached out to me.

When I arrived at the Soldner’s lovely home, the stress of losing her rings was apparent in Randena’s face and demeanor. Her husband, Leroy, joined with us as we solemly walked the length of the property together, noting areas where she had tidied up holes in the mulch dug by local squirrels. The lack of a specific forensic event (such as throwing a ball or removing work gloves) meant I would have to detect the entire property—a process of elimination, of determining where the ring was not.

The rings were more valuable than usual. Thus, for sake of everyone’s comfort, I asked that Randena or Leroy accompany me during the search. I do this at times to assuage any trust issues when more expensive jewelry is involved. As a retired hospice chaplain, I would never want people thinking I could be dishonest.

The search took over two hours. Randena and Leroy took turns shadowing me as I worked. I was about to finish up when I noticed some potted plants on a multi-level deck behind the house. I made a mental note to check those before leaving and so, when Leroy also suggested I search them, I did so immediately.

The first box contained artificial flowers complete with their plastic-coated wire stems. The metallic stems meant my detection probe was not much use. I looked through the foliage as carefully as I could but did not see a ring. The next pot contained a large, healthy fern, potted and presented in a vintage-iron holder. This meant careful extraction of the fern from its setting. Probing deep into the leaves resulted in a metallic signal which I assumed was a wire identification label, the kind often used by nurseries. But investigating further, Randena’s wedding rings suddenly appeared, revealing where they had fallen from her hand days before. Mystery solved!

The smiles don’t tell all the story. I gave the rings to Leroy saying, “I want you to be the one to give them to Randena.” He called out to her in the house and before long, the ring was in her hand. Tears, hugs, more tears, more hugs ensued! Clearly, it was more than a ring!

It is always a special moment when I can give back a ring that was thought lost forever. I am so glad Randena and Leroy trusted me enough to reach out for help. If you or someone you know has lost a ring, even long ago, don’t let its story end. Call me; I love putting smiles on people’s faces!

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Clark Howard Podcast – Lost and Found Ring

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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Clark Howard Show – Empowerment Zone

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What an honor it is to have been featured on the Clark Howard Empowerment Zone podcast.  I have been a long time listener to Clark Howard, starting while I was in college. Clark Howard is a consumer expert and host of the nationally syndicated Clark Howard Show.  He also offers advice on his website, www.Clark.com.  His famous lines are « helping on ways to save more, spend less, avoid getting ripped off ».  So when I was asked to be a guest on a new podcast he was starting called « The Empowerment Zone », I was humbled.  The description of  The Empowerment Zone is … « The Empowerment Zone features stories from people who are taking charge of their lives, empowering themselves and others, and hopefully …inspiring you. »

Lost and Found Ring

I had two of my past clients who jumped at the opportunity to tell their stories.  I love it when people tell the stories from their point of view – they add so much to the story.  As we all know, a ring is so much more than just a ring.  Both Laura and Jon explain in the podcast why their rings meant so much to them.

Check out the podcast below, and then check out www.LostandFoundRing.com for more of my stories and videos.

https://deals.clark.com/lost-found-episode-4/

 

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What’s Your Hobby – Madison Ring Finder

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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Recently, I wrote a blog post for a local blog called Madison Mom’s Blog.  They were gracious enough to allow me to be a Guest Contributor.  The blog post covers how I got into Metal Detecting, becoming a Ring Finder and why I feel it’s so important to find a hobby to do with your kids.

Madison, WI Ring Finder – What’s Your Hobby?

 

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Lost Ring – Never Give Up Hope, Ring Found 3 Years Later

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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Recently, we were featured in an article by Doug Moe, a local reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal. The story was about our Ring Finding activities (http://host.madison.com/news/local/columnists/doug-moe/doug-moe-the-man-who-finds-lost-rings/article_3ef64cca-adf5-5735-8399-4f6e440631e0.html). After the article ran, I was contacted by about a dozen people who had lost their wedding ring between 1 and 8 years ago. This was awesome, because a lot of time people just give up looking for their ring. If you have a good idea on where and how you lost your ring, there is probably a pretty good chance it is still there. One of the couples who contacted me was Heather and Ron and this is their ring story.

Three years ago, Heather was preparing for an Easter Egg hunt in her backyard. The weather was just starting to warm up, so she decided it would be nice to have the hunt outside. She first wanted to clean up the dead leaves that were around her shrubs and in her planting beds from the past fall. Heather’s lot backed up to a wooded area, which was a convenient place to throw leaves and other yard waste. It was here that Heather tossed the leaves from her yard.

The next day, she was busy preparing for Easter dinner, when suddenly she realized that her wedding ring of 19 years was missing. She had been so busy getting ready for company that she didn’t focus on the fact that her ring was not on her finger. She felt absolutely sick, but hoped that it would show up. Days passed, but still not ring. She wondered if she had lost it in the house or maybe it fell down the drain? Ron, Heather’s husband, inspected all the traps under the sinks in the house. No ring. Time went on, but still no ring.

Heather thought back to the day she lost it and remembered that the day prior, she was in the backyard raking and cleaning the leaves. She also remembered that she was not wearing any gloves while working in the backyard, and there was a chance the ring could have fallen off while scooping up or tossing the leaves in the woods. They searched the areas she was working, but did not find anything. It’s amazing how a ring can quickly disappear from sight. After about a year of searching and wondering, Heather gave up – accepting the fact that she’d never see her ring again. They went to the jewelry store and picked out a new ring to replace the one missing from her finger.

Fast forward 3 years, and Ron was reading the Sunday paper one winter day. He showed Heather an article about some local “Ring Finders” who had helped others find their lost rings in the area. Ron called me the next day and told me their story. I said we could help, but needed to wait till Spring when the snow had melted and the ground thawed. This past weekend, I happened to be visiting an old family friend on the same side of Madison that Heather and Ron lived. I called Ron and setup a time to come out and take a look.

When we pulled up, we were greeted by Ellie, the family dog. Kylie, my daughter, enjoyed playing with Ellie … and I think Ellie enjoyed playing with Kylie too. Carter, my son, and I immediately started the search. We first scanned the planting area where Heather was working in 3 years ago. Amazingly, we found nothing. Typically around the perimeter of the house, we find a fair amount of junk left over from building projects or a recent roofing job – but there was nothing (which is awesome). So, we moved to the area where Heather had tossed the leaves. Almost immediately, we got a good strong and consistent signal. Carter scratched away the soil and we could quickly see the edge of a ring start to appear. The ring had been lost for 3 years, and after only about 5 mins we had found it!

I called Heather back out and distracted her with a “question”, when she turned around, she saw me holding up her ring.  She was shocked.  I don’t think she would ever had guessed that we would find her ring that quickly. After a couple of seconds, she let out a loud scream and jumped up and down with joy. This is my favorite part of Ring Hunting … the reveal. I love the reaction and expressions on people’s faces when we pull something out of the ground, that just seconds earlier, had been lost forever.

Thank you Ron and Heather for the generous reward. We will donate a portion of the reward to Carter and Kylie’s school, as we do with all rewards. We will then use the remainder to purchase some additional “test rings”. We have a couple of rings that we’ve found and have not been able to return. These prove very valuable when first starting a hunt. If we can get a similar ring and drop it in the same environment, it helps us tune our machines and focus on what signals to look for.

Remember, even if it’s been years – there is still hope that your ring can be found.

Every ring has a story, what’s yours?

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Newspaper Article – The Man Who Finds Lost Rings

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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Very nice article run in the Wisconsin State Journal about a recent find, as well as some other past finds.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/columnists/doug-moe/doug-moe-the-man-who-finds-lost-rings/article_3ef64cca-adf5-5735-8399-4f6e440631e0.html

Article-from-Web

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Lost Ring Found in Volleyball Court at Wisconsin Dells Hotel

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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I got a call from Mark and Rachel, owners of the All Star Value Inn in the Wisconsin Dells.  Rachel said that her husband had been playing volleyball the night before with friends.  The court was recently redone and was part of their property in the Wisconsin Dells.  He did not remember it specifically flying off, but does remember having it on throughout the match.  Rachel said that he even thought to himself, « I should probably take off my ring so that I don’t lose it ».  Famous last words, right?   Seconds later, while about to serve, Mark felt two of his fingers rug together and there was no ring on his finger.

The good news is that they were the owners of the court, but how would they find it?   Mark had plans to rent a metal detector and find it himself.  However, he would have found out that operating a metal detector isn’t as easy as it might seem.  The average person wouldn’t believe how much junk is located in the ground, even in a freshly redone volleyball court.  Rachel went on Google and searched for « Rent a Metal Detector ».  One of the pages she found was www.TheRingFinders.com, and there just happen to be someone specifically located in the Wisconsin Dells area.  She sent a quick email to me, and I immediately responded.  I set up an appointment the next day to take a look.

When I arrived, Mark and Rachel were having a friends and family picnic right next to the volleyball court.  My son and daughter were along for the hunt.  I started the hobby of metal detecting and ring finding as a way to spend time outdoors with my kids.  They love the hobby, and love helping others find what was lost.  My daughter was first on the metal detector.  We found 4-5 pieces of trash: a pop top, a Matchbox Car, some small metal objects, and a nail.  The mosquitoes were  pretty bad that night, but we kept on hunting.

All of a sudden we got a pretty strong signal from the metal detector, which is usually a good sign.  My daughter reached down, grab a fist full of sand and pulled out Mark’s ring!  We walked over to the picnic table and handed the lost ring back to Mark.  Everyone was surprised that we had found the lost ring, and so quickly.  Mark’s ring had a unique inscription on the inside, « P.S. I Love You », so there was no question it was his.   My daughter was probably the most excited, as it was her first lost wedding ring recovery all by herself.

Mark and Rachel were generous with their reward for finding the lost ring.  They then asked if we had eaten anything that night.  I responded no, and that we had to head back home as my kids had started school already.  She asked if we had ever eaten at the Top of the Rock on the strip in Wisconsin Dells, which was their favorite place to eat.  We had never been there, so she called the restaurant and opened a tab with our name on it.  She said, « Order whatever you guys want and put it on our tab ».  What a cool reward.  We felt like celebrities when we walked in.  The manager of the restaurant practically greeted us at the door, « You must be the people who found that lost ring ».  We responded yes, and he showed us to our seats.  After a nice dinner, the kids and I headed back home.

So remember, don’t waste your time figuring out how to rent a metal detector, just rent a Ring Finder! 

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Unforgettable 4 Year Wedding Anniversary – Lost Ring at Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin Dells

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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Mandy and I were looking forward to a long weekend to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary.  After enjoying a night at Madison’s Concert on the Square, a round of golf another day and exploring some of Wisconsin’s hidden gems we decided to meet family at Devil’s Lake State Park for a pleasant Saturday afternoon.

The sun was shining and Max (our beagle) was by our side.  After a full day of activities, including Wollersheim Wine, New Glarus Beer and of course cheese curds in hand, we decided to hop in the lake.  Although the water was chilly, the volleyball was flying and we were having a great time.  Not even five minutes in the water, the weekend became ever so memorable.  I turned to Mandy and calmly told her my wedding ring had just flung off my finger. She thought it was a joke until she glanced down at my hand.

I was able to see exactly where my ring hit the glossy water but the vision didn’t last long as it disappeared into the cloudy lake water.  Everyone froze … not a movement was made.  A friendly family on the beach offered their snorkeling gear to us to aid in the search. I stayed put while Mandy and family member Cody swam in circles, periodically coming up for air while trying not to stir up the mucky sand on the lake floor.

We thought it would be easy to spot a shiny ring sitting atop the muck but we were sorely mistaken.  After the remaining afternoon and the entire evening (over 5 hours in total) was spent searching, daylight was gone and we called it quits.  Needless to say the ride home was quiet.

We threw around ideas: « Should we go back and search the next day? », « Do we call the jewelers right away? », « Call the insurance company? ».  Late Sunday night as we were getting ready for the week ahead it dawned on us, maybe there are such people as treasure hunters?  It was worth a Google search at least.

Sure enough, the first website that popped up was www.TheRingFinders.com.  We entered Wisconsin Dells as the location and a man by the name of Dan Roekle was revealed.  I got on the phone right away and explained exactly what happened.  His response, « We’ll find it, guarantee it. » While we knew nothing is ever 100%, his statement was enough to bring a huge smile to Mandy’s face.

The very next day, Dan and I coordinated our schedules and decided to meet at Devil’s Lake in the evening. Cody and I headed up to the State Park and after securing the proper paperwork from the Park Warden to use a metal detector in the park, we headed to the infamous spot where my ring was lost. Dan often takes his two children with him on treasure hunts, teaching them patience while having fun at the same time. I stayed back as to not stir up the sand.  After only five minutes, Dan came back with his son by his side and sadly told us the conditions just weren’t ideal that evening to search for the ring.

My heart sank.

Mandy was going to be so disappointed? The ring itself wasn’t important but the sentiment and memories behind it were invaluable.

Not even 10 seconds later with a huge smile on his face, Dan’s son pulled his hand out of the water and revealed my ring!!!  I couldn’t believe it.  After spending our entire Saturday afternoon in the water, it took them only five minutes to locate and dig up my ring, which had sunk about 3 inches below the mucky sand.  I got Mandy on the phone and tried to tell her the conditions just weren’t right.  Of course, she could tell by the tone of my voice that wasn’t the case.  When I told her, she was overjoyed and couldn’t believe how quick the ring was retrieved!  The ring is now safely back on my finger and after four years I finally got it re-sized as to avoid anything like this in the future.

Thank you Dan and family for your enthusiasm and confidence.  Although it’s just a ring, it means a lot to us and we are incredibly grateful for your assistance. One thing is for certain, we will probably never forget our four year wedding anniversary!

 

Best,

Allan and Mandy G.

 

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Alan’s Text to His Wife Right After Finding the Ring                          The Lost Ring

 

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Lost Ring Posted on Madison Craigslist Website Found in Backyard

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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Date: May 26, 2013

I had taken a week of vacation in order to complete various projects around the house, as well as tend to my gardening.  Midweek just as I was heading out the door to run some errands, I realized my wedding ring was not on my finger.  I quickly checked my pockets and it was not there, however I proceeded to run my errands.  Upon returning home, I looked in the two most likely places and unfortunately it was not in either spot.   I am a creature of habit and will put my ring in my pocket if I am putting on hand lotion, etc.  My husband quickly pointed out that the shorts I was wearing had a hole in one pocket.  We scoured the house for days looking high and low.  We even cleared out all of the closets to check the floors, but sadly we found nothing.  I was convinced I had lost my ring inside the house, but my husband thought it had fallen out of my pocket while I was gardening on my day off.  After a couple of days, we decided to post an ad in the “Lost and Found” section on www.Craigslist.com as a last resort.  That’s how we found Dan.  He quickly responded to the ad offering to help.  Since we had already searched the entire inside of the house, we thought it was worth a shot for Dan to come over and search our backyard with his metal detector.

I met Dan at our home on Saturday morning along with his young son.  He was very professional and it was clear that they had done this together many times.  I was impressed with the way he was using this task to teach his son the skills of metal detecting, as well as the importance of helping out others.  Together they swept the front yard and found quite a few coins, but no ring.  They did a very thorough search of both the front and the back yard, but initially did not find the ring.  The entire time they never gave up, and then suddenly Dan called me over … he had found my ring in the lawn along the side of the house.   I don’t know how many times we might have walked past it in the days since it was lost, but it was found.

I am very cautious when responding to an ad from Craigslist, but through the back and forth email with Dan to setup the appointment, I felt comfortable meeting him at our home on my own.  He was professional and very respectful of the fact that I had lost something very dear.  I cannot thank him enough and can only give him a glowing reference.

Thanks again,

Jean K.

 

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Lost Ring Found at Erin’s Snug Irish Pub, Madison WI

  • from Madison (Wisconsin, United States)
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I typically look forward to getting calls from The Ring Finders directory for lost rings, lost keys, lost cell phones, you name it.  However, on this day I was a little hesitant to answer the phone.  You see, it was not just a typical WI winter day … it was -10 degrees below zero outside!  Brandon had lost his ring in the parking lot of Erin’s Snug Irish Pub and Restaurant in Madison, WI.   On the call, he explained that he was wiping the snow off his windshield wipers when he lost his ring.  He did not have any gloves on (what was he thinking!) and when he went to flick the snow off his hand … he ring flew off.  He knew right where it was, but after digging for awhile gave up.

Gold is extremely heavy, and when dropped into a snow bank, will drop pretty quickly to the bottom.  Even though Brandon saw the entry point, he could not find the lost ring in the 4 foot snow bank.  He searched on Google hoping to rent a metal detector the next day.  He entered a bunch of different phrases, « rent metal detector », « metal detector rental » and « how to find my lost ring ».  Fortunately for him, he found The Ring Finders Page and my blog. http://theringfinders.com/blog/Dan.Roekle/.  He said he couldn’t believe such a service even existed, and there was a member right in Madison.  He couldn’t believe it.  He also couldn’t believe that I was willing to head out that same day … the same day that it was -10 degrees below zero!

I brought my son along on the hunt, and after bundling up, we headed out.  We hunted in 5 min increments, because it was that cold.  I am a pretty tough guy when it comes to cold weather, but with temps -10 below zero, you don’t want to mess around.  We kept our van running to warm up.  The problem with hunting in a parking lot in the winter, is that all the junk from the parking lot is picked up by the snow plows and dropped right on the curb.  This is of course right where Brandon lost his ring.

My son and I are usually not quick to give up, we don’t like to leave a lost ring that we know is within reach.  However, did I mention it was cold.  We agreed to do one more 5 min search.  Good thing we did, because we got a strong signal on the metal detector … and pulled out Brandon’s ring.  We didn’t even look at it closely as we both ran to the van to warm up.  Our first stop was McDonald’s for some hot chocolate, then to Brandon’s house to return the ring.  He gave us a very generous reward for our hard work and an extra bonus seeing it was so cold.  He could not have been more appreciative for our hard work and for finding his lost wedding ring.

Remember, don’t rent a metal detector, rent a Ring Finder!

 

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