70 years later, stolen purse returned to Kansas owner

When Elaine McKenna’s purse was stolen at a Sears store in Hutchinson, she had no idea they would shove both the purse and its belongings in the bathroom ceiling.

Luckily enough, when the old building’s demolition began, she would be reunited with her black handbag 70 years later.

“The purse was like a time capsule being opened for the first time in almost 70 years,” Queen Bee Social Marketing posted on Facebook.

When the old store’s demolition began – an old Decor building soon to be the home of Queen Bee Social Marketing – her old handbag was found in the ceiling.

“Way back when our soon to be office space was a Sears, Miss Elaine Klatt lost her purse,” Queen Bee Social Marketing posted. “We had the great pleasure of finding it during demolition and have taken a stroll through the 1940s. The last date recorded in one of her books was 1948.”

In it, was a collection of certificates, bank records, pictures and love letters.

Eventually, a relative of McKenna heard about this purse and confirmed it to be her family member’s. McKenna, formerly Elaine Klatt, had worked in the building when it was a Sears back in the 1950s.

McKenna was reunited with her purse Tuesday, Oct. 17 when she and several family members went to the old site on Main Street.

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 2:02 PM with the headline "70 years later, stolen purse returned to Kansas owner."