Woman robbed of memories

by Meg Olson

Marge Sharp lost more than posessions when her house was robbed Monday. Memories were the most precious things she lost after thieves made off with a funerary urn containing the ashes of her daughter, who died last March of pneumonia.

“It was a year ago she died and now she’s gone again,” Sharp said. “This has stripped me of strength. Having her here gave me comfort.” Thieves also took her daughter’s jewelry, which Sharp was saving for her eight-year-old grandson. “He looks at them and says ‘those are my Mommy’s’. Now I don’t know what to tell him,” she said. “I don’t want to tell him at all.”

Sharp returned to her Birch Bay home on a break from work to find it ransacked and thieves still inside. She ran to a nearby business to call 911, and was told to wait for police. When they arrived, the suspects had fled. Police took photos and a statement, but Sharp said she had no indication they found evidence that would lead them to the thieves and the recovery of her belongings. Whatcom County Sherrif’s Office detective Kevin McFadden was not available to report on the investigation.

Sharp said the sealed urn may have appeared more like a jewellery case to the thieves, which might explain why they took it. “I just hope they don’t smash it open when they realize they can’t get in,” she said. “If they’d just give me that back I’d be happy.”

Anyone with information that could lead to the recovery of the urn may contact The Northern Light.