Lost Wallet Found 60 Years Later

Bridgette Bornstein
Reporting

(WCCO) Milladore, Wis. Do you know what's in your wallet? It can say a lot about you.

One wallet is saying a lot, more than 60 years after it was lost. It tells the story of a Minneapolis Navy man named Robert McIntyre stationed in England during World War II.

A construction worker in England discovered this piece of history. And not until now have the missing pieces fallen into the right hands.

In rural Wisconsin, McIntyre's daughter Cynthia McIntyre Kane was surprised to open the dusty, worn leather flaps of the wallet.

“This I believe is a drivers license, here's the postmark from St. Paul Minnesota, 1939, this is my dad's navy identification card, then on this side it has fingerprints, and that is really nice to have too it's so personal," said Cynthia McIntyre Kane.

There's a ration card, notes about his family, membership cards and even theater tickets. It's like cracking open a history book.

“My dad passed away in 2002, so I almost feel like I've had some contact with my dad again,” said Kane.

But this chapter in Robert McIntyre's life would never have been told, if not for a determined Englishman.

A few weeks ago, Ian Clapton found the wallet stashed in a crevice while working on a roof. And he had to find the rightful owner.

It’s a mission that took the wallet from a tourist town in England, to farm country in Wisconsin.

“That was amazing when it came in the mail, all the way from England,” said Kane.

The wallet isn't worth much. There was no money inside. It's possible a robber took it and then later got rid of the wallet.

But to the McIntyre family, it's priceless because it helps fill in the pieces for a daughter and granddaughter.

“Just talking about each item in the wallet made all the difference in her getting another picture of her grandfather," said Kane.

Ian Clapton says he went to a lot of trouble searching for McIntyre’s family because he would want someone to do the same for him. And what did he want in return? Nothing, he just wanted to receive word that the wallet got to the family.

The McIntyre family is grateful such a thoughtful person found the wallet.