Lost Claddagh Wedding Ring Found! – Juneau, Wisconsin
I received a text message from Elmhurst, Illinois resident, Jim Weppner, asking if I might help to locate his gold Claddagh wedding ring.
The traditional Irish ring was a gift from Cathy, Jim’s wife of nearly 60 years. He received it on the occasion of their 25th anniversary while visiting in Claddagh, Ireland.
According to Wikipedia, Claddagh rings typically have “three primary features: a heart to represent love, a crown to represent loyalty, and two clasped hands which symbolize friendship.” They were first produced in Claddagh in the 17th century.
As our communications progressed, I quickly got a sense of just how special was Jim’s ring. I received a photo of Jim with the love of his life, Cathy, on their happy wedding day in 1964. Sadly, Cathy passed away from A.L.S. a little over a year ago. Clearly, it was more than a ring. 
Over a week had passed since the ring went missing. Jim had lost some weight resulting in his ring fitting loosely. He had been cleaning up fallen branches from the lawn behind his lakefront home near Juneau, Wisconsin when it was lost. Had the ring slipped off then?
Jim’s story, together with the deep sadness in his voice, fueled my determination to do all I could to find his precious love token. I offered up a prayer for wisdom and drove up to Juneau the following day. Jim’s sister-in-law, Geri and her husband met me. After surveying the property, I began searching in locations where Jim had been working. A boat dock had since been pulled ashore in anticipation of the winter freeze up. Had the ring been spotted by one of the workers and pocketed, I wondered. The thought was troubling.
A little over an hour into the search, I was scanning the grass underneath the aluminum dock when a signal caught my attention. Crawling beneath, I pinpointed the target and carefully parted the blades of grass. That’s when I caught sight of a gold rim—Jim’s Claddagh wedding band!
I took some photos and texted them to Jim. A few moments later my phone rang. The emotions in that moment made it difficult for him to speak. As for me, I thanked my heavenly Father for the overwhelming comfort extended to Jim through the successful recovery of his priceless ring.
I left the ring with Geri for safekeeping. A few days later Jim sent me a photo with the ring back on his hand.
At time of writing, Jim and I have not yet met in person. But we hope to connect one day soon. And when we do, I’ll be sure to add his smile to this, his heartwarming story.
If you or someone you know has lost a ring, even long ago, don’t let its story end. Contact me. Who knows, we might be able to add another smile to my list of over 138 happy clients who thought their rings were lost forever.
