Widow of detective who made Broward history says wedding ring worn since 1952 vanished

Bettye Holloway says last time she saw priceless ring was while voting in Pompano Beach

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Bettye Holloway said she still can’t believe she lost the ring from her soulmate, Ulysses Holloway, the first Black detective in the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s burglary unit and a former Pompano Beach Police Department officer.

After her beloved protector placed it on her finger when they wed in 1952, Holloway said she wore the wedding ring with pride for close to seven decades.

At 88, she said the three-layer ring of diamonds felt like a part of her.

“I never pulled it off for anything!”

Bettye Holloway said it vanished on Sunday after she turned out to cast her ballot during early voting at The E. Pat Larkins Community Center, at 520 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Pompano Beach.

Bettye and Ulysses Holloway wed in 1952. (Courtesy photo)

Holloway said she couldn’t stop thinking about the compliments she got from a poll worker.

“Oh! I love your jewelry. It’s beautiful!” the woman said, according to Holloway.

The octogenarian remembers touching her ring after the woman complimented her. She said she touched it twice.

“I had to drop the individual ballot in the box myself,” Holloway said.

She was heartbroken when she was home and noticed it had vanished. She thought about her Ulysses Holloway, a former Ely High School star fullback known as “Moose,” who treated her like a princess. He died of cancer at 58 on Nov. 13, 1992.

“I told him I was sorry. He made everything comfortable for me. He was my life.”

Ulysses Holloway is Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s first Black detective in the department’s burglary unit and a former Pompano Beach Police Department police officer. (Courtesy photo)

Bettye Holloway made a public plea for help on Friday. She is hoping a member of the Local 10 News community can help her find the priceless ring she had hoped would become an heirloom for their grandchildren.

“If they would please accept just whatever little reward that I can give.”

Holloway is devastated. She said she hopes someone found it and returns it.

“That’s what keeps me going.”

Watch the 11 p.m. report


About the Authors:

Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.