Tulsa Widow Says Purse Snatchers Stole Husband's Wedding Ring

It's purse snatching story with a heartbreaking twist as a widow loses her late husband's wedding crime to a thief. Nancy Gleeson had her purse stolen out of her shopping cart recently at a South Tulsa Walmart.

Of course, the crooks ran up big bills on her credit cards, but she doesn't care about that. She carried her late husband's wedding ring in her billfold and that is irreplaceable. 

Nancy Gleeson never dreamed at 5'10" she would marry a man eight inches shorter, but she did. What followed were the happiest 40 years of her life. Her husband had their wedding bands specially designed in New York, made of white gold. From the day she placed it on his hand, it stayed there. 

"He never took it off. As a Marine, they usually don't wear a whole lot of jewelry, but he never took his wedding ring off," said crime victim Nancy Gleeson.

After more than 20 years in the military, they retired and planned to enjoy life with their kids and grandkids, thinking, they'd be together until the end, but three and a half years ago, Jerry got sick and died in a matter of 24 hours.

"It was hard enough losing him to fast and unexpectedly and then, the same thing with the ring," she said.

Nancy had her purse in a shopping cart at Walmart last week when someone grabbed it before she could even notice. Even though she shut the cards off within an hour, the thieves had already racked up $2,000 of gift card purchases at that Walmart, two Walgreens stores and a Kum and Go.

What hurts the most is she was carrying Jerry's wedding ring in her billfold as a way to keep him close. 

"I want the ring back. Have them send it to you at Channel 6, they can send it anonymously," she said. "Whoever's got it or knows about it, just contact you."

Nancy has spent days going to pawn shops and gold buying stores, showing them a picture of her ring and telling them about the engraving inside. It says Nancy and Jerry, August 29, 1970.

She hopes someone will spot it and give it back to her.

"It's like losing him all over again; it's really hard," she said.

Police are working to get surveillance video from the four stores where Nancy's credit cards were used in hopes of identifying the person behind the purse snatching. If anyone sees or finds the ring, please send it here to Channel 6 and I will more than happy to get it back to Nancy.