Jackson woman trying to find stolen bike she's had since 1939

It's not uncommon to become emotionally attached to something that's been in your possession for nearly 80 years -- and then suddenly stolen. Patsy Johnson of Jackson can definitely attest to that, and she wants her bicycle returned.

Johnson said she noticed the bicycle gone Jan. 22.

"I went out there in the garage, and my bike wasn't there," Johnson said.

Johnson, who is 91, acquired her bicycle in 1939 when she lived in Jonesboro, Arkansas; she moved to Jackson in 1954.

"It has a license plate. They were licensed in Jonesboro. And the basket is homemade," Johnson said. "Everybody had the same type of bike. It wasn't anything special."

In the 1970s, Johnson used to take her bicycle to Jackson High School and let her students ride it on the track. She has been actively involved in Southeast Missouri since 1954, having taught physical education at the high school level in Jackson from 1954 through 1989 and serving in many other capacities.

"A lot of kids have ridden that bicycle ... it was quite interesting for them. They thought that was fun to ride an old bicycle with big wheels," Johnson said.

Over the years, Johnson has been part of the local Cub Scouts, Women in the National Rifle Association, and 2018 makes 45 years with the Boy Scouts of America. She has been an instructor for pistol, rifle, shotgun, black powder pistol, rifle and shotgun, women's handguns, along with home firearms. She also volunteers her time doing costume changes at the Red House in downtown Cape Girardeau during the summer.

"I have all these costumes I've made. I've got Henry Knox, the general, and George Washington, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, all from the Daughters of the American Revolution ... I also participate in the reenactment of the Civil War," Johnson said.

Johnson's missing bike -- now blue -- has been painted several different colors over the years. It's also traveled more than 8,490 miles. The last time she remembered riding her bike was last year when attending Homecomers in Jackson.

And according to Johnson, kids around here don't know a girl's bicycle from a boy's.

"With a girl's bicycle, there's no top bar ... that made a girl's bicycle ... I rode a boy's bicycle. I couldn't even sit on the seat," Johnson said. "They had a big towel wrapped around the bar where I sat. ... All kids didn't have a bicycle. It wasn't like everybody in town had a bicycle."

Johnson hasn't heard anything concerning the whereabouts of her bike, but she has a message for whoever stole it:

"I just really would like to have my bike back. I'm more interested in getting it back. I don't care who took it. Just bring it back. Just drop it off at my yard, out here in my carport, front yard, or anywhere. Just drop it off. But if they want that award, they'll have to go to the Cash-Book Journal."

Johnson is offering a reward of $100 to whoever returns her bike, and $100 to whoever might know the identity of the person who stole it.

Serious inquiries should be directed to Elane Moonier at The Cash-Book Journal.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632