An Oklahoma family has reclaimed decades-old photographs and keepsakes after a stranger protected them in a folder for 31 years.
At a Glance
- Tammy Ritter discovered the yellow folder in her new desk drawer in 1995
- The collection included black-and-white photos, 1940s golf scorecards, postcards, and a 1950s plane ticket
- Ritter carried the file through every office move until her colleague cracked the genealogical puzzle in 2024
- Why it matters: The mementos reconnect a family with relatives who died without direct heirs, preserving personal history that could have been lost forever
Tammy Ritter’s routine desk cleanup on her first day at the Tulsa County Assessor’s Office turned into a three-decade mission when she opened the yellow folder. Inside were black-and-white family photos, several postcards, golf scorecards dated to the 1940s, and a plane ticket from Oklahoma City to Tulsa. Unable to identify the owner in 1995, Ritter sensed the items held sentimental value and refused to discard them.
“These were clearly personal items, and I felt they belonged to someone,” Ritter told News Channel 8.
A File That Followed Every Career Move
Ritter’s supervisor, Chief Deputy Assessor Mark Liotta, noted her dedication: “She’s hung on to the file of family mementos for 30 years, and every time she’s moved jobs and moved offices, she’s taken that file with her.”
As Ritter approached her planned 2026 retirement, Liotta-an amateur genealogist-decided to solve the mystery. He began by researching old contact information and started making calls, tracking roughly 50 leads before focusing on the Evers/Cleveland family.
His investigation pointed to Mary Louise Evers, adopted daughter of Marlin Lindsay Evers and Cuma Cleveland. All three immediate family members had died, but Liotta located Libby Doughty, a great-niece of Cuma Cleveland living in Tulsa.
Instant Recognition Over the Phone
“Within moments of describing the items, Libby said, ‘That’s my Aunt Cuma!’ ” Liotta recalled.
On January 13, Doughty and her sister visited the County Assessor’s Office to collect the folder. Doughty called the preservation “a blessing,” adding, “The fact that [Ritter] kept that is amazing. Who does that? Who cares enough to think that this belongs to someone and that there’s a family out there somewhere that these items mean something to?”
Ritter expressed relief at completing her long-held mission: “I’m just excited to hand it over.”
Inside the Yellow Folder
The recovered collection included:
- Black-and-white family photographs
- Several vintage postcards
- Golf scorecards from the 1940s
- A plane ticket from Oklahoma City to Tulsa
Timeline of the 31-Year Journey
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1995 | Tammy Ritter finds the folder on her first day at the Tulsa County Assessor’s Office |
| 1995-2024 | Ritter keeps the folder through every office relocation |
| 2024 | Mark Liotta launches genealogical search nearing Ritter’s retirement |
| January 13, 2025 | Libby Doughty retrieves the keepsakes |
Key Takeaways
- One act of respect preserved family history that could have vanished in a landfill
- Amateur genealogy solved a 31-year cold case of misplaced memories
- The story highlights how small, consistent choices can have outsized emotional impact decades later
