Lost class ring returns to owner 46 years later

A Bonneville High School graduate will soon be reunited with a class ring he lost 800 miles away almost five decades ago.

Hans Deede thought his class ring was long gone after losing it in New Mexico, but through social media and the kindness of one man that ring will be returned 46 years later.

“The neat thing about it is I lost it at Christmas time, and now I’m getting it back at Christmas time,” said Deede.

After only having his class of 1967 ring for a year, Deede lost it sledding in the hills of Los Alamos, New Mexico.

“The snow was 8 feet deep, fluffy snow,” said Deede.

Dozens of winters passed until Geary Radcliffe found it with his metal detector more than a decade ago.

“I dug it up,” said Radcliffe. “It was this gentleman’s high school ring from Bonneville, Idaho.”

Radcliffe tried to find the owner then, but had no luck.

“He contacted the school and they wouldn’t give out any personal information, because they thought he was maybe a bill collector or something like that,” said Deede.

Last week, Radcliffe got out the ring and his curiosity sparked again.

“With the advent of Facebook, I took another shot at finding this guy,” said Radcliffe.

It didn’t take long. Just hours after Bonneville School District 93 posted the photo and story to its Facebook page, Deede was found.

“It is amazing what Facebook can do,” said Deede.

Radcliffe is shipping the ring back to Deede, who hopes to have it by Christmas.

“I think I’ll wear it for special occasions,” said Deede. “I don’t want to lose it again.”

Radcliffe said the ring is the most valuable and sentimental find he’s ever found with his metal detector.