A San Remo resident has been left devastated over the loss of his late wife’s wedding ring, and has called on the community to help him find it.
Graham Bateman was wearing a leather necklace with his and his wife Margaret’s gold rings attached, when he was walking at the 2017 Community Christmas Pageant in Mandurah.
Shortly after the event, the grandfather of six noticed the rings missing.
The duo married in 1966, when Mr Batman was 22-years-old and Ms Bateman was 19-years-old.
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Ms Bateman passed away in November 2016 of cancer, aged 69.
Diagnosed in Janurary 2016, Ms Bateman’s ovarian cancer progressed rapidly throughout her body.
Desperate to find the rings Mr Bateman returned to Mandurah Terrance at 6am the next morning, tracing his steps from the previous evening.
“I walked the whole route the following morning,” he said.
Luckily his ring was found and handed into a the nearby cafe, Janice Coffee Spot, days later.
“Straight way I knew it was mine,” he said.
“I would have preferred it was the other one.”
Mr Bateman was brought to tears talking about the ring’s significant sentimental value.
“We were married for 50 years and we had three kids. She was a pretty wonderful lady.”
Described as a caring and community-focused woman, Ms Bateman volunteered with the Lions Club and through the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.
“She wasn’t a member of the Lions Club but she always helped out with various projects,” Mr Bateman said.
“She was always more concerned about other people than herself.”
Mr Bateman turned to Facebook to share his story with locals.
He said since posting the status on a public page he had received a call from the local cash converters, claimed they’d keep an eye out for it.
Mr and Ms Bateman used to attend the pageant together, every year.
“I’m down there every pageant night with the lions club,” he said.
“This year the Falcon club asked some of our members to come and walk with them, because they had a float.”
Mr Bateman said he had walked from Sholl Street to Mandurah Terrace, then along the designated pageant area during the event.
The ring is about three to four millimeters in width, three millimeters in diameter and 17 millimeters in circumference.
If you have the ring or know any information that could help Mr Bateman relocate it, please contact him via email at ggbateman@bigpond.com.au.
