Ring owner thankful ring was found, says it’s a mystery.

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.

Don Koepfer of Columbus, Georgia says how his college fraternity ring made its way to Scottville, Michigan is certainly a mystery. He’s grateful that, after 50-plus-years, the ring has been found, though.

See related story here.

“It’s quite a mystery to me as to how my Theta Chi Fraternity ring ended up in Scottville, but I’ll bet if it could talk it would have an interesting web to weave,” Don said. “I graduated from the University of Toledo in 1959 and almost immediately went into the U.S. Army. When the ring actually disappeared from my possession must have been about this same time and since I went from student at the university to an army officer and would not have then worn the ring due to the physical environment. I had either put it away shortly after graduating, while traveling to Ft Benning, Georgia, or immediately on arriving there. 

“My recall of when and how losing track of the whereabouts is now unfortunately long since forgotten.  Those travels are south and not north to Michigan.  Such things are indeed very important during the student and fraternity life but soon, in my case, put into the past.  At the conclusion of my approximately 10 years of military service, and having enjoyed the much more pleasant temperatures of the South versus the Toledo area, I have made Columbus, Georgia my home ever since.”

Don said he was pleasantly surprised a couple of weeks ago when Scottville Main Street Manager Heather DeVries called about the ring showing up in Scottville. “I had long since forgotten about it,” he said.   

“Honestly what really pulled me to do the research is that this was clearly either very well loved by the owner or a family heirloom that was cherished,” Heather said. “It wasn’t hard to do, the real credit goes the the Jacob Larson who turned it in and Sally Berglund at the University of Toledo. I was just able to make the connection with the right people so that this story has a great ending.”

“I indeed appreciate her researching to track me down through information from the U of Toledo. The decision of the young lad (see related story) who found the ring, and then made a decision to turn it in, instead of seeing what he might be able to gain by selling it is quite admirable and I hope that he has been or will be appropriately applauded and recognized for doing so.  As I mentioned earlier, if the ring could talk, it would undoubtedly have an interesting story since I have never been to your fair city nor in that vicinity.”

Don said that coincidently he and his wife had just traveled to Michigan last summer, but their trip was to Clark Lake, south of Jackson, and then up to the Straights of Mackinac and the Upper Peninsula.

     “With what has occurred in these past couple of weeks and had we known then what we now know we would certainly have visited Scottville,” he said.