Love letters, documents from Second World War era discovered in Edmonton dresser
An Edmonton woman who believes she's discovered a piece of local history is hoping to reunite some new-found artifacts with their rightful owners.
Rayanne Boychuk has been running her furniture refinishing business for five years.
Over that time, she's found discarded items before, but until this week nothing that seemed likely to hold any value.
"I have never found anything cool," Boychuk told CTV News Edmonton.
"Everybody always thinks that I’m going to find money or something that will retire me from doing this, but I’ve found nothing other than literally, probably about 50 pairs of underwear."
When Boychuk was going through an old dresser she planned to restore, after purchasing it from Goodwill in west Edmonton, something caught her eye.
"I was working late at night," she said, "and I opened the drawers, and right behind one of the drawers was all of these treasures."
Those "treasures" included a Bible from a soldier, along with his Australian combat records. Boychuk also found photographs, and love letters that appeared to be written for the soldier by his wife.
"I thought it was amazing and I wanted to try and find his family to return these truly one of a kind items," she said.
A man's old driver's licence was also found with the items.
The ID shows it belonged to Peter Maurice Moore who was born in 1920 and once lived in Sherwood Park.
Boychuk did some investigating and believes Moore is deceased.
"His wife was named Vera and then he had a daughter named Valerie, and a granddaughter named Amelia."
The Edmonton furniture refinisher said her favourite item from her discovery is a letter from Moore's wife.
"And it says, 'I pray that God will take care of you for me and bring you safely home back to me. And then we will be together for always,'" said Boychuk.
That letter was the only one no longer sealed. The rest, Boyshuk said, will remain sealed, at least until she can track down Moore's family.
"I think this is truly someone’s entire legacy and it’s too important to be left with me. It needs to be in the right hands."
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.