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Kansas City area fisherman finds part of gravestone in Missouri River

Seeks help returning gravestone to its original resting place
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PARKVILLE, Mo. — Olen Lehman has fished since he was a child. His passion runs so deep, the fisherman operates a fishing charter company called KC Rodbenderswhen he’s not at his day job in healthcare.

During a fishing trip on the Missouri River toward the end of February, Lehman found part of a gravestone - the kind typically seen at a cemetery. The gravestone was in a part of the riverbank near Riverside, Missouri, normally covered in water. Lehman says the river level is particularly low right now.

“It could’ve come from the flood of 1993, it could’ve come from anywhere, who knows,” Lehman speculates. “But that could be something a family member might really enjoy and like to have.”

Lehman has spent two weeks researching the gravestone online and has a few leads, but nothing concrete.

The gravestone has what appears to be the last name “Emerson” inscribed on it. The marker also has the date 1955, presumably the year the person died. The letters “her” are written on the stone too, Lehman believes that’s the second half of the word father or mother.

“I would love for someone to reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, I know exactly where that came from. It was my grandfather or whatever,’ and get in touch with me, so that way we can get it back to them,” Lehman said.

Anyone with information can reach out to Lehman on his KC Rodbenders website or by calling 816-610-2368.