The thief who stole the urn containing the ashes of Carol Lalonde’s husband returned it Friday morning.
The Delta senior got a call from Surrey’s Salvation Army at 1 p.m. from Pastor Judy Holland who told her she had some good news for her.
“Yes, I have something in my hand here, and it says “Babe” on it,” Lalonde recalls hearing. “I don’t know if the ashes are in it or not, but she has the container.”
The container went missing on Christmas Eve, when her home in the 7800 block of 119 Street was burglarized of TV, computer, jewelry and the puck-shaped container with her husband’s ashes in it.
He was an army veteran and life-long hockey fan.
He and Carol had been married 58 years.
Carol, who is legally blind, made a public plea last month for the thief to return her husbands ashes, no questions asked.
Holland said she saw a box when she went into the Salvation Army to work at 8 a.m. on Friday. She didn’t open it until 1 p.m.
There was a wallet with all her ID, a purse, some old jewelry, a white cane and at the bottom was the puck-shaped silver urn.
Holland couldn’t say whether the ashes were in the urn as she didn’t open it.
“I just didn’t feel right about it,” she said.
Lalonde was overjoyed.
“It’s exciting, it’s very exciting,” she said. “I’m full of goosebumps and nerves, thinking somebody has had a conscience.”
