When I started working at Jewelry by Johan, my Nana was already losing her 3rd battle with Ovarian cancer. I was able to spend more time with her before her condition got worse as well as the rest of my family. The first time I saw the flower ring I thought it was a unique design.

When my Nana passed, I knew I wanted to have a ring made with the yellow roses from her funeral arrangements. When I shared this with my family, they were all also interested. My Papa Paul lost his wedding ring in the garden years ago and thought this was the perfect replacement. Lacille's husband, children, daughter in law and granddaughters got rings made. Her son in law, grandson, and grandson in laws got cufflinks.

My favorite memory of my Nana is when I would talk to her on the phone. Because she was born and raised in Texas, but spent most of her life in Wisconsin, she had a mix of both accents. When we would say goodbye on the phone, after I said I love you, she would always say back in her unique accent, "I love you too Honey" This is what I chose to have engraved on the inside of my ring. She was a profound woman who loved to sing and was in the church choir. She was also a librarian at the local library and she loved to read.


This next part is written by Shannon's mother.


September 1961, Hurricane Carla started a whirlwind romance between Paul and Lacille.

My dad was in the Army, stationed in Alabama when Carla made landfall along the Texas gulf coast. He was given leave with an Army buddy of his, to go and help make repairs to the family home caused by the category 4 Carla.

While on leave, the soon to be Jim & Joy set my dad up on a blind date with the poised, outgoing, sophisticated dark-haired Texas beauty. Dad was smitten with the then, 20-year-old Southern Belle. This was the beginning of a long-distance relationship that blossomed into a life-long love story. They wrote many letters, sent pictures, made phone calls and a telegram or two. Dad made trips to Texas and mom flew up to Wisconsin to visit too.


As the relationship developed, my dad started affectionately calling my mom, Yellow Rose after the southern belle in the song, Yellow Rose of Texas. The song talks about a soldier away at war and his Yellow Rose of Texas waiting for him. This kind of explains my mom and dad’s engagement.

To her family, mom was known as Cille. When she moved to Wisconsin, she became Cille’s Yellow Rose.


Jim and Joy got married in 1962 and my mom borrowed Joy’s wedding gown when she and my dad got married in November of 1963 at Holy Innocents Catholic Church in Manitowoc, WI. Lacille was born 4/13/1941 and passed 3/7/2018 surrounded by her family.


These memorial rings are crafted in titanium and inlaid with beautiful yellow rose petals to commemorate this story. The matching cufflinks are made with sterling silver and also inlaid with the same golden petals.