Sonja Henie - Thin Ice - Warner Brothers- Hollywood

The valentine, given to Henie as a publicity stunt in 1941 and preserved at Omaha Cold Storage, was waiting for her return. Since she died in 1969, it had been preserved for sentimental reasons and because no one wanted to be the one to destroy the icy valentine.

In 1941, Julius J. Gagini, left, head of Omaha Cold Storage, provided safe storage for an ice heart created by then-Lt. Col. Barney Oldfield as a publicity stunt. Left in storage for decades, the heart is now missing.

The story behind the valentine involves many characters, starting with Barney Oldfield, who was working in public relations with the Army 7th Corps at Fort Crook, Neb.

Ray Gaynor, advance man for an ice show coming to Ak-Sar-Ben's Coliseum, approached Oldfield looking for a gimmick that would get Henie, star of the ice show, a picture in the newspaper.

With the show opening Feb. 13, 1941, Oldfield came up with the icy valentine idea.

Julius J. Gagini, head of the Omaha Ice and Cold Storage Company, was contacted by Oldfield seeking a 100-pound block of ice. Gagini had some ice dyed blue-green.

Oldfield was given an ice pick. Fifteen minutes later he had sculpted a heart; an almost 100-pound, blue-green valentine.

Feb. 13, 1941, was a cold night, and the boxed ice heart was loaded in the back of a truck and taken to Ak-Sar-Ben.

When removed from the truck and carried by hand without the box, some of the blue-green heart melted. Henie tried to autograph the heart with a hot nail. It didn't work, but she did get her picture taken with the ice sculpture.

Oldfield then promised Henie "We're going to keep this valentine until you come back to Omaha some day."

The ice heart was taken back to Omaha Ice and Cold Storage, placed in a box with "Sonja's valentine" written on it.

When Henie died Oct. 11, 1969, Oldfield placed a rose on the ice heart.

Oldfield, who is 93 and lives in California, last saw the valentine 12 years ago. He was back in Omaha in 1991 when the Omaha Press Club toasted the valentine's 50th anniversary.

The heart, which has been featured in books, magazines and television, largely disappeared after that.

"Someone asks about it every year," Patterson said. "Seems like every Valentine's Day someone calls about it."

Patterson, who has been with Omaha Cold Storage Terminals Inc. since 1993 said he has never seen the heart.

"It was here two to three years ago," Patterson said. "But it is not herenow. We have looked; it was either misplaced or it is just gone."



Sonja Henie's Heart Was Lost in Omaha
Click to Enlarge	Omaha World-Herald February 10, 2003 BY MARY LE ARNEAL
	It lasted 60 years, but the frozen valentine made for Olympic figure skater and movie star Sonja Henie is gone.
The valentine, given to Henie as a publicity stunt in 1941 and preserved at Omaha Cold Storage, was waiting for her return. Since she died in 1969, it had been preserved for sentimental reasons and because no one wanted to be the one to destroy the icy valentine.
In 1941, Julius J. Gagini, left, head of Omaha Cold Storage, provided safe storage for an ice heart created by then-Lt. Col. Barney Oldfield as a publicity stunt. Left in storage for decades, the heart is now missing.
But now, it's nowhere to be found.
"I haven't seen it in a long time," said John Patterson, president of Omaha Cold Storage. "It disappeared about a year ago."
The story behind the valentine involves many characters, starting with Barney Oldfield, who was working in public relations with the Army 7th Corps at Fort Crook, Neb.
Ray Gaynor, advance man for an ice show coming to Ak-Sar-Ben's Coliseum, approached Oldfield looking for a gimmick that would get Henie, star of the ice show, a picture in the newspaper.
With the show opening Feb. 13, 1941, Oldfield came up with the icy valentine idea.
Julius J. Gagini, head of the Omaha Ice and Cold Storage Company, was contacted by Oldfield seeking a 100-pound block of ice. Gagini had some ice dyed blue-green.
Oldfield was given an ice pick. Fifteen minutes later he had sculpted a heart; an almost 100-pound, blue-green valentine.
Feb. 13, 1941, was a cold night, and the boxed ice heart was loaded in the back of a truck and taken to Ak-Sar-Ben.
When removed from the truck and carried by hand without the box, some of the blue-green heart melted. Henie tried to autograph the heart with a hot nail. It didn't work, but she did get her picture taken with the ice sculpture.
Oldfield then promised Henie "We're going to keep this valentine until you come back to Omaha some day."
The ice heart was taken back to Omaha Ice and Cold Storage, placed in a box with "Sonja's valentine" written on it.
When Henie died Oct. 11, 1969, Oldfield placed a rose on the ice heart.
Oldfield, who is 93 and lives in California, last saw the valentine 12 years ago. He was back in Omaha in 1991 when the Omaha Press Club toasted the valentine's 50th anniversary.
The heart, which has been featured in books, magazines and television, largely disappeared after that.
"Someone asks about it every year," Patterson said. "Seems like every Valentine's Day someone calls about it."
Patterson, who has been with Omaha Cold Storage Terminals Inc. since 1993 said he has never seen the heart.
"It was here two to three years ago," Patterson said. "But it is not herenow. We have looked; it was either misplaced or it is just gone."