Santa Rosa man pleads for return of wife's stolen ashes

Someone stole several things from Bill Clouse’s garage in Santa Rosa early Monday. There’s only one thing that he pleads to get back.

It’s the box containing his wife’s ashes.

“The rest I don’t care about,” Clouse said Tuesday. “I just want my wife’s remains.”

The retired drywall contractor discovered Monday morning that the garage of his home off Lewis Road had been burglarized while he’d slept. Gone were a variety of tools, some food from the freezer and other items, among them the black plastic box in which the ashes of Clouse’s wife, Sally Zaret, were placed less than two months ago.

Zaret, who’d worked with people with disabilities at the North Bay Regional Center, was 75 when she died of cancer on June 28.

The burglary happened between about 1 and 6 a.m. Monday. Other of the items carried off included a chainsaw, laser level, router and baby monitor.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Marcus Sprague said he thinks it likely that the thief or thieves lifted the black box without having any idea what was inside.

Zaret’s husband, three grown daughters and grandchildren planned to spread her ashes at the Sonoma Coast and in the Sierra Nevada.

“Her grandchildren are very upset,” said daughter Stephanie Habgood. “They want their grandma back.”

Bill Clouse is holding out hope that whoever has his late wife’s ashes will drop them off at the mortuary at Santa Rosa Memorial Park on Franklin Avenue, no questions asked.

Police also announced a reward up to $2,500 for information leading to the return of the ashes and the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the theft.

The money is part of a standing reward offered by the Sonoma County Alliance for information involving significant crimes.

Anyone with information on the burglary can call property crime detectives at 707-543-3575.

Staff Writer Randi Rossmann contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Chris Smith at 707-521-5211 or chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.