A strange find
Urn that contains ashes found at Salvation Army thrift store
A worker at the Salvation Army thrift store in Summerside recently came across an item that probably wasn’t supposed to be donated: A small navy-coloured urn.
“We had a whole load of stuff arrive on the deck Friday morning, and as we started to process the items one of our staff members all of a sudden came to me with this box and said, ‘Is this what I think it is?’ and sure enough it was an urn with what we believe is cremated human ashes in it,” said Anna MacDonald, the store manager.
“It looks like it came with items taken from an apartment or house that got emptied quickly because some of the bedding was just wrapped up together and tied in a knot and brought to us, so for that reason we think it was totally accidental.”
The sealed urn is about three inches tall and has no identifying marks, except an inscription that reads “Forever loved, always missed – a wonderful father.”
MacDonald believes because of the size of the vessel it may only contain a portion of the ashes, and other similar urns may be in existence. Staff wrapped the urn in transparent plastic after the contents started to leak.
“We hope someone recognizes the urn and claims it,” she said. “It’s certainly one of the most surprising things we have discovered, and we find all sorts of things in the donated piles.”
Items that have been found by staff at the thrift store include full birth certificates, health cards, and divorce papers tucked inside bags.
“We are being very respectful and treating the urn with kindness until someone claims it, but if no one comes then we will probably bury it,” said MacDonald.
Anyone with information about the urn is asked to contact the Salvation Army thrift store, 79 All Weather Highway in Summerside.