Traditions
Against the odds, college ring finds its way back to 1971 graduate
When David Chase lost his class ring on New Year’s Eve in Pawleys Island, he feared it was gone forever.
But on Monday, the ring was back in Chase’s possession thanks to Andrew Deckard, a stranger who refused to give up the search for the ring’s owner.
“For me this was a personal thing,” Deckard said. “I was like, if this guy’s alive I want to find him.”
Chase realized his Newberry College Class of 1971 ring was missing while driving into the south entrance of Litchfield By The Sea. He assumed the ring fell off when he was shopping at Publix or dining at J Peters Grill & Bar. In reality, the ring fell off of his finger and out of his car at the south entrance.
Chase called pawn shops in Myrtle Beach and left his contact information in case someone tried to sell the ring.
“Most of the pawn guys were real nice,” Chase said. “They said, ‘if we find it, we’ll call you.’”
Chase even filed a report with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.
A few days later a crew from Callas Florist in Murrells Inlet was taking down Christmas decorations when Hector Angeles spotted the ring. He turned it over to Deckard, the owner of the flower shop.
Based on the age of the ring, Deckard thought maybe a family member was wearing it on a chain around their neck.
Either way, Deckard wanted to reunite the ring with its owner.
“That’s not something you find in the middle of the street; somebody’s college ring,” he said.
Deckard also had a more personal reason for finding the ring’s owner. More than 20 years ago, he lost his Purdue University Class of 1991 ring in Litchfield. It was run over before being found.
“It was flat as a pancake,” Deckard said.
He sent it to the manufacturer and got it fixed.
Deckard reached out to Newberry, which was reluctant to provide any personal information. He also tried the Kappa Alpha fraternity, because those initials were on the ring’s stone.
“You had a lot of trouble,” Chase said. “I appreciate it.”
Deckard finally tracked down a phone number, which he thought was Chase’s, but was actually Chase’s daughter, Ashby.
“She didn’t even know he lost the ring,” Deckard said. “She said it would be very special to [him] because [he] doesn’t wear much jewelry other than a wedding ring.”
Ashby called her father to give him the happy news.
“She said ‘I’ve got some good news for you,’” Chase said.
The ring looks as if it was run over by a vehicle and is too damaged to be worn.
Chase suspects that he might have been the motorist who ran it over.
Chase’s mother paid $300 for the ring in 1970 so Chase gave Angeles a $300 reward.
Chase’s family owned a house on Pawleys Island. He has been a lifelong visitor. After the house was sold, he and his wife, Connie, a Conway native, invested in a timeshare and continue to visit.
