BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — On Oct. 28, Ron Horlacher’s family home was broken into, and several personal belongings were stolen, but one item is irreplaceable: Horlacher’s ashes.
23ABC spoke with two of his daughters and one of his granddaughters, who say the loss has left their family heartbroken.
“The most prized possession is they took our dad's ashes that were on his dresser, and it's just unfathomable to me that that could happen,” said Heidi Pfeffer, Horlacher's daughter.
The family purchased the home in 1973, and they say they have nothing but fond memories in it.
Photos they shared show Horlacher bonding with his children and grandchildren, and enjoying his favorite activities.
Horlacher was a Korean War veteran who passed away in 2023. His family remembers him as a loving father and grandfather who enjoyed collecting rocks, tending to his fruit trees and his dogs. They often called him the “dog whisperer.”
“He really had a way with animals and children, and we just loved him,” said Lauren Dunn, his granddaughter. “He made you feel like a million bucks every time you were with him, just so kind and loving.”
Bakersfield Police are investigating, and they're looking at neighborhood surveillance video of two women arriving at the property empty-handed, and then leaving with bags.
Horlacher's family had plans to bury his ashes next to his wife’s in their family burial site in Utah, and now without them, those plans are on hold.
While 23ABC spoke with his family, they also talked among themselves and recollected memories with him.
“I feel very honored right now because I'm sitting in the chair that my dad always loved to sit in every time we would gather around as a family,” said Dana Kummer, Horlacher’s daughter. “Dad was right here.”
The family says they just want their father back. They’re asking anyone with information to contact police, or for his ashes to be returned.
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