WILSONVILLE -- In what police described as an act of "genuine decency," rare coins and bills lost by a just-widowed man were found by another, who promptly turned them in to police.
Alexander Piascik, 76, of Wilsonville was at the bank Monday attending to personal affairs related to the recent death of his wife, said Clackamas County sheriff's office spokesman Det. Jim Strovink. Piascik placed a number of rare coins into a fanny pack.
On the way home, he decided to walk his dog at Memorial Park. When he returned to his car, the fanny pack was gone.
"Needless to say, Alexander Piascick was emotionally devastated even further with this added jolt and sudden loss of his cherished collection of old coins," Strovink said.
Piascik immediately called the police to report the loss.
The next morning, John H. Oswald, 83, dropped into the Wilsonville police department. He had spotted a fanny pack in the middle of Southwest Parkway late Monday afternoon. He noticed right away the value of the contents, but could find no identification, so he brought it to police.
Detective Strovink was not shy about praising Oswald's decision.
"Obviously, John Oswald, being the responsible citizen he is – representing our greatest and most profound generation – did what is monumentally honorable," Strovink said, "and brought the discovered pack of valuables intact to the Wilsonville Police Department."
The two men met Thursday morning. Strovink said Piascik planned to give Oswald a coin from the year of his birth.
