Donna Hodel admitted Wednesday afternoon she couldn’t stop giggling in excitement.
“I don’t even remember wearing it,” the Borderland native said of her lost 1947 Falls High School class ring, which was about to be returned to her after 71 years.
Minutes later, Bill Germain, who had found the ring the night before, walked up to Hodel’s desk in the Koochiching County Highway Department’s office and dropped the ring into her hand.
“Oh, for crying out loud,” she said. “I’m sorry I giggle so much — I just couldn’t believe it. It really, really, really is exciting. Good, good memories.”
“The thing’s in beautiful condition, just like you lost it, I’ll betcha,” replied Bill, who was accompanied by his wife, Ashley. “It’s like brand new.”
The ring, Hodel thinks, was barely in her possession before it was lost when her now late husband, Bob, was wearing it one night on Riverside Drive, near where it was found.
“It was among a whole bunch of garbage — five inches down,” said Bill, who found the ring with his metal detector. “You got lucky actually, cause I’ll bet 10 people have already detected over that spot.”
And finding out it was Hodel’s reminded the couple just how small the world really is.
Ashley’s parents, Jim and Kathy Miggins, had run into Hodel just last week and Jim was the one who had discovered the ring belonged to Hodel by using an FHS alumni book.
“I was like ‘do you know her?’ and he said I had just talked to her last week,” said Ashley.
“It’s a small town, but still,” said Hodel in disbelief.
And the connections didn’t stop there.
Bill found another class ring last year at the same time he found Hodel’s. Hodel’s maiden name was Johnson, which was the same last name as the class ring Bill found last year.
Ashley said she knew it was this time of year when he found the other class ring because she helped both her sons order their FHS rings last year and this year.
“We were ordering a class ring at the same time I found the other one,” Bill said. “It’s weird.”
And Ashley noted that the rings ordered by FHS have gone unchanged.
“It’s the very same ring. Isn’t that neat?” she said.
But Hodel couldn’t stop giggling, even when answering a phone call.
“I’ve got company,” she said. “I’ve got my ring — you should see the ring.”
The three, however, were also in awe of its condition.
“You can’t believe the junk that thing was around,” said Bill, who has been medal detecting since he was 18. “I was just trying to clean up the area because that’s how you find the good stuff.”
Hodel was excited to tell her sons the news.
“They’re very interested in this,” she said.
But one question remained.
“Does it fit?” asked Bill.
It did.
“Do you get a finders fee?” Hodel asked, still giggling, as the couple left.
