MYSTERY: Whose items are these, found dumped near the West Seattle Golf Course?

Maybe you can help reunite these items with the family they belong to. The photos and note are from Karen:

I live in Ravenna, but last Saturday was coaching at a track meet in West Seattle. I found a big bin of sentimental items hidden in the wooded area just west of the golf course. I’m hoping to find the owner of the items.

The bin included things like old family photos, a 1928 yearbook, sympathy cards, old newspaper articles, legal documents (e.g. sale of house, medical records). I haven’t been through every piece yet, but everything so far is dated 2004 or much earlier, so no useful contact info yet. It seems the items originally belonged to Harry Pierce, who was 90 in 2004.

She contacted police, but they couldn’t help, so she took the bin home for safekeeping. If you have a lead, please comment, or email us and we’ll connect you.

Karen May 27, 2021 (10:19 am)

What a kind thoughtful gesture. Good luck

trickycoolj May 27, 2021 (10:28 am)

Maybe see if there’s a family tree on ancestry.com that includes the name? There’s also the state digital archives that might give clues to next of kin: https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/

LPM May 27, 2021 (11:50 am)

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/seattletimes/obituary.aspx?n=harry-a-pierce&pid=888006

And here is his son’s phone number

https://www.whitepages.com/name/Walter-L-Pierce/Gig-Harbor-WA/PLyZ1W2zXx9

Carole May 27, 2021 (12:24 pm)

Obituary for Harry A Pierce, 2003 Seattle Times. Grew up Milwaukee Wisconsin area. Names some survivors. https://legcy.co/3oTfJlC

Nichole May 27, 2021 (12:35 pm)

Wonder if its related to the Harry Pierce who is a physician in Burien? Maybe his fathers. Also, I would check with the Brookdale on 35th given its a retirement community in the area.

Eddie May 27, 2021 (1:30 pm)

Get the Hardy Boys and their chium Nancy Drew on the case!

Genyk May 27, 2021 (4:25 pm)

That’s my high school! Wonder where my yearbook will be when I’m gone. Maybe it will find it’s way back to a Milwaukee golf course

Michelle S May 28, 2021 (9:08 am)

Hope you find the owner of these special items !! Please please let us know if you do find the people who they belong to this would be a great way to end the mystery!! GOOD LUCK

Raquel Rodriguez May 28, 2021 (10:09 am)

Always try people finder or 411.com are very helpful websites Good luck I hope it gets back to who it belongs to my mother lost all our pictures in a house fire and we lost all our memories and my baby pictures and theyr irreplaceable god bless you and your good heart we need more people like you in the word

Laura B May 28, 2021 (11:26 am)

It is possible that they belong to someone who is living without a home, perhaps a relative. If you don’t find the owner, you may consider putting them back. These could be the only things someone has to connect them to their family and they hid them for the safest keeping they can afford. Totally, not meaning to invalidate the course of action you’re taking (very thoughtful), rather just adding this for consideration. <3

WSB May 28, 2021 (2:10 pm)

We’ve heard from an apparent family member and sent their contact # to Karen, so here’s hoping.

anonyme May 29, 2021 (6:56 am)

Karen, what a thoughtful thing to do. I wonder how much history is lost when people die and their legacies become trash? I hope relatives are able to claim this trove.

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