Eight days after we published that photo from Stephanie, the “history mystery” is solved – items found in her attic are in the hands of relatives of the man in the photos, George Lee Hoke. She was getting leads via a Facebook group, commenters here, and people outside West Seattle after a TV station picked up the story. Earlier this week, we pointed her to this comment on the story, from Sandi … and today, Stephanie just sent word that the connection’s been made:

The two cigar boxes found in my attic have been given to George Lee Hoke’s son. Rollie is thrilled to get the photos! They are a treasure to him and his family. They are some of the sweetest, friendliest, most down to earth people I have ever met. The woman in the picture that I posted is the woman who lived in my house for over 50 years. She is Rollie’s mom, Detta, who passed away years ago.

Detta, Stephanie explains, was married to George Hoke, but after they divorced, she remarried, and both she and Rollie (Roland) took a different last name: “Roland knew very little of his father and was raised by his step-father. He eventually changed his last name back to Hoke because he knew that was his father’s name.” George Hoke had returned to his home state, Missouri, remarrying and starting another family. They were reached first in this quest but told Stephanie that she should find Roland, whose son, it turns out, lives “5 minutes” from her home in White Center. She adds:

The most touching part of the story was that these two cigar boxes were very well hidden in the attic. Roland said multiple times that he thought he cleaned the attic out really well after his mom had to move out because of her health. My husband had been up there a lot too, and only when we were ripping out ducting, did the boxes appear. Rollie and I both believe that those boxes were hidden up there by his mother for him to find later. When she was older, she must have forgotten about them. Rollie said he had so many questions that he wished he would have asked Detta, but just never did. The boxes are the closest connection he has with his dad. I am so thankful for all of the interest and help that I got with this endeavor.

The annual brunch benefit for the Southwest Seattle Historical Society is a month and a half away, and you have a week and a half to get tickets at the early-bird price. Here’s the SWSHS announcement:

“Loving Our Landmarks” is the theme of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s 2016 Champagne Gala Brunch, and for good reason.

The Admiral Theater, the Alki Homestead, the “Birthplace of Seattle” Log House Museum — all are city landmarks that exist because of community support of the historical society. Plus, with further community help, the two jewels of the West Seattle Junction, the Campbell Building (Cupcake Royale), and the Hamm Building (Easy Street Records), are in the pipeline to become city landmarks.

The historical society will celebrate these landmarks and help keep the good work going at its 2016 Champagne Gala Brunch, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, November 5, at Salty’s on Alki, 1936 Harbor Ave. SW.

Tickets are on sale now. Click here to purchase them online. Or mail a check to the organization’s “Birthplace of Seattle” Log House Museum at 3003 61st Ave. SW. Or stop by the museum at that address to buy tickets in person.

The early-bird deadline to purchase tickets at $95 is less than two weeks away, Wednesday, Oct. 5. Tickets are $110 thereafter.

The Gala program promises to be the best ever, says Clay Eals, executive director.

For the Gala crowd, West Seattle’s Connie Thompson, 42-year veteran of KOMO-TV, will interview Jim Bonholzer, who worked the opening night of the Admiral Theater in 1942.

Also, the popular quiz panel, “Wait, Wait, West Seattle … Don’t Tell Me,” a take-off on the popular NPR show with a similar name, will return, with longtime KOMO radio and TV newsman Brian Calvert, a West Seattle resident, as host.

The five people who will make up Brian’s quiz panel are:

— John Maynard, longtime radio personality (“Robin & Maynard”) and former West Seattle resident

— Jack Miller, owner of Husky Deli in the West Seattle Junction

— Tom Rasmussen, West Seattle resident and former three-term Seattle City Council member

— Tracy Record, editor of West Seattle Blog

— Lora Swift, director of the West Seattle Junction Association and former owner of Hotwire Online Coffeehouse

The 2016 slate of Live Auction items all will relate to the “Loving Our Landmarks” theme and are items that cannot be obtained anywhere else. The historical society will roll out details and videos about these items – including a few surprises – on its website and public announcements in the coming weeks before the event.

Also, the popular “Choose Your Cruise” Golden Ticket drawing is returning. For just $100, you can purchase a chance to win a seven-day Holland America Lines cruise for two to one of four destinations – your choice of Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico or Canada/New England. A maximum of 100 tickets will be sold.

“Choose Your Cruise” Golden Tickets can be purchased before the Gala, in person only, at the historical society museum.

Updates will be posted continuously on this page of the SWSHS website.

Again this year, WSB is a media sponsor of the gala.