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North Carolina woman reunited with purse she lost in theater 30 years ago

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — A North Carolina woman had a happy reunion with a purse that had been missing for three decades.

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Sherry Church was 17 in 1992 when she lost her purse at the Liberty Theatre in North Wilkesboro, WXII-TV reported. Now, it is back in her possession.

“I was excited,” Church told the television station.

She said the purse contained her birth certificate, makeup, a high school class schedule, photographs and an old job application, according to WXII.

The Liberty Theatre has been a fixture in North Wilkesboro since 1932, WRAL-TV reported. The facility was undergoing renovations when the purse was found, according to theater co-owner Mick Zulpo.

“As we were demolishing this space, we were taking out some pieces from the ceiling and it actually fell out of the ceiling and literally hit one of our guys on the head,” Zulpo told WXII.

Zulpo had his wife attempt to find the owner, and it did not take long, WRAL reported.

There was no money in the purse, which led Church and Zulpo to believe the accessory had been stolen, rather than simply lost. Either way, it has gathered dust for nearly 31 years. Church even attended the theater after the purse was stolen.

“I think someone has maybe taken it, gone through and taken the money out, come into this little closet ‘cause it was a staff-only space, (and) hidden the evidence upstairs,” Zulpo told WXII.

The money did not matter. Church had many memories of high school rekindled.

“Some of the people I didn’t even remember, I have pictures of,” Church told WRAL. “So I’ve been here, my purse has been here, never knew.”