Factory reset of iPad// xxx@me.com Issue

I’ve seen this question asked in this community previously, but the responses here as well as in KB articles don’t seem to help me solve my issue.

A decade + ago we bought two iPads. One for my mother-in-law, one for my wife. The MIL device works fine. My wife’s, when we got it out of storage, would charge but not accept any and all logins. I performed a factory reset. When setting up the device we’re told that this device has had its login locked, and to contact the original owner. I got as far as getting a password reset sent to an e-mail, but the e-mail is my old .me.com e-mail. I did not receive a pw reset e-mail, so I’m wondering if it’s tied to an old RoadRunner e-mail address that I have no access to.

I’ve looked up all my devices and pinged my working iPad. This is the only iPad showing in my Apple ID device list. My wife only has her iPhone on her Apple ID device list.

Other than going hundreds of miles to an Apple Store to fully unlock this iPad, are their any other suggestions?