'I burst into tears': Stratford widow asks thief to return late husband's ashes after break-in
A Stratford widow says she’s heartbroken after she says her late husband’s ashes were stolen after a break-in.
The break-in happened sometime between May 15 and May 22. Police said thieves got away with a large amount of silverware, dishes and jewelry.
Police said the ashes of the victim’s husband, her brother-in-law, as well as the ashes of two beloved pets, also went missing.
The homeowner, who is going by the name Elisabeth to protect her identity, said the entire situation has been traumatic.
“With the ashes gone, it was like – I burst into tears, and that was it was much more emotional. My son was a very angry and couldn't believe it. My daughter was also angry and upset because she was so attached to her father and she was the one who was with him right up until he died,” said Elisabeth.
She is hoping whoever took it does the right thing.
“The ashes can’t be meaningful to anybody but me and my family, so they're no good to anyone else, and I would just really appreciate having them back because it would allow us bury him where he wanted to be buried,” she said.
Joseph, Elisabeth’s late husband, passed away in 2020 and because the family is spread out across North America, they have been unable to bury him.
“Joe is the kind of person that everybody loved. He was very bright. He was very well liked. He was a professor and amateur actor,” said Elisabeth.
The other ashes belonged to her brother in-law Ralph.
“He was an oncologist in the United States, he was a fine person very good doctor, very well respected by everybody,” she said.
Elisabeth planned on bury Joseph and Ralph together.
Elizabeth said she is hopeful the ashes still can be returned but if they have been discarded or disposed of, she said she’d at least like the culprits to let them know.
“It would probably break my heart to think they're in the garbage but it would also break my heart to never know what happened to them,” she said. “At the very minimum, I would really appreciate knowing what happened to them, it would give me a feeling of having some closure on this whole situation.”
Stratford police said while they are hoping to identify the people responsible, their priority is getting the ashes back to the family.
Police said the ashes can be taken to W.B Young Funeral Home, located at 430 Huron Street in Stratford, or an anonymous tip can be left with Crime Stoppers and police can collect the ashes that way.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ministers Joly, LeBlanc travel to Florida to meet with Trump's team
Two members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet will be in Palm Beach, Fla., Friday to meet with members of Donald Trump's team.
India alleges widespread trafficking of international students through Canada to U.S.
Indian law enforcement agencies say they are investigating alleged links between dozens of colleges in Canada and two 'entities' in Mumbai accused of illegally ferrying students across the Canada-United States border.
Teen actor Hudson Meek, who appeared in 'Baby Driver,' dies after falling from moving vehicle
Hudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in 'Baby Driver,' died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM.
Pizza deliverer in Florida charged with stabbing pregnant woman at motel after tip dispute
A pizza deliverer in central Florida has been charged with pushing her way into a motel room with an accomplice and stabbing a pregnant woman after a dispute over a tip, authorities said.
Unwanted gift card in your stocking? Don't let it go to waste
Gift cards can be a quick and easy present for those who don't know what to buy and offer the recipient a chance to pick out something nice for themselves, but sometimes they can still miss the mark.
Cat food that caused bird-flu death of Oregon pet was distributed in B.C.: officials
Pet food contaminated with bird flu – which killed a house cat in Oregon – was distributed and sold in British Columbia, according to officials south of the border.
Aviation experts say Russia's air defence fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns
Aviation experts said Thursday that Russian air defence fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured.
Police identify victim of Christmas Day homicide in Hintonburg, charge suspect
The Ottawa Police Service says the victim who had been killed on Christmas Day in Hintonburg has been identified.
Raised in Sask. after his family fled Hungary, this man spent decades spying on communists for the RCMP
As a Communist Party member in Calgary in the early 1940s, Frank Hadesbeck performed clerical work at the party office, printed leaflets and sold books.