Clayton Fire Department Retiree Badge Found In Florida, Returned Home

From the City of Clayton:

October 20, 2020

Ray Wright, of Tampa Florida, was dining with friends at Caddy’s Treasure Island when he noticed something shiny un the sand below his table. That shiny object turned out to be a retirement badge from the Clayton Fire Department. Initially he turned the badge in to the lost and found at the restaurant, but after returning home he decided to do his own research and was able to locate information for the department. He contacted our Administrative Specialist Kathy Brooks-Manness and retrieved the badge and had it sent to her. After unsuccessfully attempting locate family Kathy placed the badge in her desk drawer and that is where it stayed.

The Badge belonged to Roy Weckherlin. Roy was a member pf the Clayton Fire Department from 1943-1969. In 1955 Roy became the first fire marshal in the history of our department and started the long tradition of excellence we still maintain in our fire prevention efforts. After he retired Roy became a member of the St Louis County Health department serving as an Air Pollution Enforcement and Inspection Officer. Roy passed away from Lung Cancer in 1991.

Through the years Kathy would pull the badge out and tell people the story, but it wasn’t until she was speaking with Fire Chief John Paul Jones that a renewed effort to locate Roy’s family began. During his free time Chief Jones searched through archived news articles and records and was able to locate the phone number of a woman in Florida that he believed to be related to Roy. It was a stroke of luck that her daughter in law, whom also lives in Venice, Florida was visiting at the time that Chief Jones placed the call. The woman who picked up the phone was Roy’s granddaughter & was able to provide Chief Jones with contact information for Jill Halsey, Roy’s Daughter.

Jill was overwhelmed to receive word from Chief Jones that the badge had been found. Apparently after his death Jill had carried the badge in her purse and after realizing it was not there, she was unable to track down where it was lost. Jill does confirm that she visits Florida frequently and has dined at Caddy’s. Jill goes to Treasure Island specifically because that is where her family vacationed when she was young.

Retirement badges are meant to pay tribute to the success and sacrifices that members make in their service to the community. That sacrifice is often just not on the shoulders of the firefighter themselves, but also the sacrifices of their spouses, children and extended family. We are happy to return this badge to Jill today to give thanks to her father and their family for their service to the Clayton community.

This press release was produced by the City of Clayton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.