‘Dad’s ashes’ were found at an NC Goodwill store. The store needs your help finding his family.

Employees at a Goodwill store in Thomasville, N.C., are searching for someone who perhaps inadvertently dropped off a small bottle of what appears to be cremated remains.

With only the words “Dad’s ashes” and “Missy” written on it, the bottle is being held at the headquarters of Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina in Winston-Salem until a family claims it, Goodwill spokeswoman Jaymie Eichorn said. The bottle, which appears to have once contained spices, was found by Goodwill employees in May as they processed donations.

Goodwill employee Jessica Cranford told High Point television station Fox8 that she processes all sorts of donations, but was moved to try to find the source in this case.

“He doesn’t belong here,” Cranford told the television station. “He needs to be with his family.”

Getting ashes as a donation is rare, especially ashes with no information relating to the funeral home or crematorium, Eichorn said. The lack of identifying features is making it hard for the organization to track down a family.

“I’ve been working here for more than 14 years, and this is just the third instance of which I’m aware,” she said in an email.

Cranford said she made a post on her Facebook page hoping to find the person’s family, but she has had no luck.

So until someone comes forward, the ashes will stay at the headquarters. Goodwill of Northwest NC doesn’t have a rule on how long the ashes will be kept, and Eichorn said there is no reason why they can’t be kept indefinitely.

“We will keep them secured here, in the hopes that someone claims them,” she said.

People who may know whom the ashes belong to are being asked to call the nonprofit’s corporate number at 336-714-3039 or email info@goodwillnwnc.org. ​

This story was originally published June 8, 2017 at 1:51 PM with the headline "‘Dad’s ashes’ were found at an NC Goodwill store. The store needs your help finding his family.."