Lost And Found

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The letter to the editor ran in The Post-Journal on Thursday.

Sam Campione, originally of Frankfort, N.Y., and now living in Florence, Ore., wrote to say he had found a Jamestown High School class ring from 1976 inscribed with the initials ''KSL.'' If he could track down the original owner, he would be more than happy to return it.

Within hours of the paper coming off the presses, e-mails were circulating throughout Washington Middle School. Teacher Karen Coccagnia - maiden name Karen Sue Larson - was certain the ring in question was hers.

What she did not know, though, was how the ring ended up on the Pacific coast, over 2,000 miles away.

HOW THE RING WAS LOST

When Mrs. Coccagnia was a senior in high school, she gave her ring to a boyfriend - Joe Bellito, who lived in Frankfort, N.Y.

''I hung around with (former JHS gym teacher) Coach Noonan's daughter, Missy Noonan, and they were from Frankfort, N.Y.,'' she said. ''When they moved to Jamestown, these friends of her brother Jay used to come to Jamestown to visit them. ... So I started to date this Joe Bellito. I went (to Frankfort) a couple times to visit him out there, and after a while - you know how long-distance relationships don't work.''

During the brief relationship, the class ring changed hands.

''I gave him that ring,'' Mrs. Coccagnia said, ''and when we broke up, I asked for it back and he said he lost it.''

When Mrs. Coccagnia saw the letter to the editor, the initials tipped her off that it might be her ring.

''I tried to think of anyone else in my class that year who had those initials,'' she said. ''We couldn't think of anybody.''

While she did not recognize Sam Campione's name, she knew it had to be her ring.

''Whether or not (Bellito) lost it and this person found it, or if he gave it to someone in their family, I don't know,'' Mrs. Coccagnia said.

HOW THE RING WAS FOUND

Sam Campione's mother died in Ilion, N.Y. - just a few miles from Frankfort -in 1992.

''There were some miscellaneous things in her jewelry box,'' Campione said. ''I put them in a bag and brought them home, and then I put them in my wife's jewelry box.''

Campione said his wife, JoAnn, was cleaning out that jewelry box recently when she discovered the class ring.

''My wife is a big one for class reunions,'' he said. '''I've got this ring,' she said. 'How can we hunt these people down?'''

Campione had the idea to write a letter to the editor to The Post-Journal. But how did the ring get from Mrs. Coccagnia's hands into those of Campione's mother?

After learning more details about the ring's history Thursday, Campione has a theory.

''My stepfather, Louis Grippe, owned a very popular hangout (in Frankfort) way back when - Grippe's Tavern,'' Campione said. ''My stepfather might have found it while he was sweeping up, and he just put it in his pocket and brought it home.''

Upon the death of Campione's mother, the ring was among items he brought with him from Ilion to his home at the time in Fulsom, Calif. When Campione retired from his job with the United States Department of Defense five years ago, he and his wife - and Mrs. Coccagnia's ring - moved to a home in Florence, Ore., two blocks from the Pacific Ocean.

REUNITED

The Post-Journal put Campione and Mrs. Coccagnia in contact with each other Thursday afternoon. Campione said he plans to get the ring on its way back to Jamestown today.

''I'm going to get it out in the mail (Friday),'' Campione said. ''I'll probably send it registered mail.''

Campione also said he has a cousin in Frankfort who may even be able to reconnect Mrs. Coccagnia with Joe Bellito, should she be interested.

''I'll return the call to this young lady in Jamestown'' if Bellito is located, Campione said, ''and say 'I found him, what do you want to do with him?' I think, for old-times' sake, maybe she'll just want to say 'hi' to him.''

What will happen to the ring after it arrives in Mrs. Coccagnia's mailbox is also undetermined.

''I don't know what I'm going to do with it,'' she said. ''Probably nothing.''

Most likely, it will go back into a box - this time, though, it will be back with its original owner.

''It probably won't fit me anymore, so I won't wear it,'' Mrs. Coccagnia said. ''I'll probably just put it in my jewelry box.''

Another cross-country trip is in store for the wayward ring. This time, though, the recipient will know its whole story.

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sebtree
01-24-09 2:11 PM »Report Abuse	Enjoyed the story. Thank You Post Journal

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