Calgary woman receives letter from little sister, 45 years later

When Anne Tingle made a trip to her mailbox, she discovered a long-lost letter. Bearing a six cent stamp, and wrapped between two pieces of cardboard, the letter had taken 45 years to get there.

The letter, a politely-worded thank-you note from Tingle’s younger sister Esther Stringam, was mailed from Lethbridge, Alberta, in 1969.

“Thanks so much for letting me stay with you for the most enjoyable three weeks of the summer,” Stringam wrote.

The letter was sent to “Mr. and Mrs. R.D. Tingle,” with the correct street name, and an incorrect house number.

How the letter finally ended up in Tingle’s mailbox remains a mystery, however, as no one has admitted delivering it. 

“Kudos to Canada Post!” said Tingle, crediting the postal service with the late delivery. “They got it to me with no address to work with.”

And letter-writer Esther Stringam is pleased her message has finally gotten through.

“It’s incredible, it’s indescribable, I’m blown away, it’s wonderful,” Stringam told CTV Calgary via Skype.

With files from CTV Calgary’s Janet Dirks

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  Anne Tingle received a letter in the mail 45 years after it was written by her younger sister.