A woman from Steinbach who found a World War One letter in a box of old documents and newspapers, says the over 100-year-old letter will be kept in a museum.

Amanda Kehler purchased the box just over a week ago and inside was the letter which dates back to May of 1917 in a hospital in Birkenhead, England. She says the letter was written by Earl Sorel who was writing to his friend's sister, to inform her that her brother Gordon Rochford had died in battle. 

The letter Kehler found in the box. (Photo credit: Amanda Kehler)

Kehler notes she put out a call last week to track down Sorel's family members. She says, now, with all the attention it has gotten, she has tracked down four of Sorel's descendants.

"We found a number of descendants from both sides of the families and I've been able to talk about the letter with two of them and we're all in agreement that it's going to be going to a museum and it's going to go to the Canadian National Vimy Ridge Memorial in France."

Kehler says it has been surreal to have been able to find such a unique piece of history. She explains she and her husband Calvin love picking through antiques and treasures with hopes of finding neat items that bring back memories or have touched the lives of other people.

Kehler owns a restaurant and collector's item shop in Steinbach and she says "last week was insane".

"I had to bring in extra staff to help," Kehler adds, "one of them was just answering the phone basically because there were so many phone calls coming into the store. It's been busy and the community has really reacted very positively."

Kehler notes the letter was just too personal to sell and says with all the phone calls and coverage this has gotten, it has been an overwhelming experience.