I looked around and went, oh it seems OK.", Hurley met Kathrine and Walter Laan during his visits. Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Hurley received a letter from Kathrine Laan shortly after his father died, saying that his father had become like family to them and that they loved him. Friends and family will be received on Sunday, March 6, from 1-4 p.m. at the Snyder-Green Funeral Home; 402 E. Church St.; Ligonier, PA 15658; (724) 238-2611. For two decades, Canadians have relied on our thought-provoking journalism to make sense of our world. She departed this life on February 5, 2023, at the age of 67, while resting at home. Donate to The Walrus today. Visitation will conclude with a memorial service to celebrate Katies life, with Pastor David Clement of Trinity Lutheran Church of Latrobe officiating. Anyone who knew her will tell you she had a clever, quiet sense of humor and expressed care and concern for others in need. With thanks,Jennifer HollettExecutive Director, Updated 9:54, Nov. 12, 2019|Published 15:11, Mar. For two decades, Canadians have relied on our thought-provoking journalism to make sense of our world. (Manishen has ignored requests for an interview.). She did not view needing a wheelchair to give her mobility as a disadvantage because it gave her so many opportunities, Badger said. She was a one of those one-in-a-million people. Paul Laan has not responded to a request for comment. His son, Michael Hurley, wasn't aware his father's money was being stolen until a 2017 investigation by The Fifth Estate revealed that Kathrine, Walter, Paul and David Laan had been involved in fraud in connection with residents at the homes they operated. She had an impeccable sense of humor. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved. Katherine Smith in Wanaque, NJ We found 100+ records for Katherine Smith in Wanaque, NJ. This article was published over a year ago. Katie later shifted her professional focus to non-profit work. None of the Laans, or their uncle, Ron Allen, reported their residents as missing. Connersville native, Katherine L. Smith, 68, died Sunday, August 21, 2022 surrounded by her loving family. What Matthews saw in the early days of investigating the homes had him worried for the well-being of the residents who lived there. No one was ever charged, but police always suspected that the Laan family, which owned and operated a number of unregulated retirement homes in the area, was involved. Interment will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. A Memorial Service will be held at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Houghton Chapel, Ovid, MI, at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, February 25, 2023, with Pastor Mona Kindel officiating. Smith pursued her love of sports by skiing and playing rugby, curling and bocce, Zablotney said. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Now, after continuing the court battle to have the documents uncensored,The Fifth Estateand The Walrus were successful in having them released fully unredacted. The Walrus uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Lawrence went missing from a property owned by the Laans known locally as the "farm." The Fifth Estateapproached Kathrine,who now goes by Kathy or Katherine Smith,for comment near her home in Bracebridge. Lisa Mayor is a journalist with CBC News on Prince Edward Island. Join Facebook to connect with Kathy Laan and others you may know. Grand Rapids, MI WILLIAM VAN LAAN OBITUARY VAN LAAN, WILLIAM William C. Van Laan, age 88, of Kentwood, began his eternal life in heaven on Friday, September 21, 2012, after battling cancer. In an affidavit filed in June, the OPP investigator currently assigned to the case, Rob Matthews, repeatedly describes it being active and ongoing. In a strange twist, Matthews, who was investigating the Laans retirement homes before Lawrences disappearance, was said by David and Walter to be responsible for relocating the missing seniors. Since 2008, she had competed as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers rugby team and twice competed in Paris in an international, all-women rugby tournament. He signed all but two of the forms. Within the next five years after the documents were written, members of theLaanfamily were charged and convicted of stealing and defrauding pension and old age security cheques from some of the residents who lived at their properties, including three of the four who disappeared. She courageously battled an illness and died in the hospital at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA. She was the beloved daughter of Patricia OBrien Smith and the late Robert Melville Smith; loving sister of Patrick M. Smith and the late Timothy O. Smith; cherished granddaughter of the late Anne Thompson Smith, the late Janet McKenna OBrien and the late Harry C. OBrien; niece of Emily Smith, Philip Smith and Dennis OBrien; cousin of Derek OBrien, Courtney OBrien, Jeremy Smith, Rebecca Smith, Kyle OBrien, and Kelsey OBrien. Ron Allen was a caretaker there and David Laan was the landlord. She is also survived by other relatives and friends. Manishens filing is in response to an application first made by The Walrus and CBC News, which hosts The Fifth Estate, to get at the warrants, which the Crown attorneys office is also opposing. The Problem With Wokeness as a Political Strategy. (34 years old). A group of teammates and eternally grateful friends penned the following statement, which was released by Erin Clark. She also began honing her craft as a public speaker and developed a program she presented to students geared toward cultivating inclusive environments and promoting self-advocacy for youth. The OPP says the case remains openand declined to comment. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. She was too good for all of us, and we are beyond blessed to have her friendship. One of the first residents who spoke to police said he only had rice and pasta to eat and was paying $700 per month tolive at FernGlen. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. April 29, 1988 - Daughter of the late Earl, Sr. and Alice Grant. The case quickly turned into a homicide investigation, and eventually, police discovered the names of three more seniors who had gone missing from a different retirement home owned by the Laans. The Fifth Estate approached David and Walter Laan for comment, and they declined to speak. David, Walter, Walters wife, Karen, Paul, and Kathrine were eventually charged in relation to the theft of residents government benefit chequesincluding cheques belonging to three of the missing seniors. Wheelchair America in 2012. Now, after a successful court battle by the CBC and The Walrus, the sealing orders on the remaining documents have been lifted. The documents say he approached each resident and asked them if they understood what they had signed. Zablotney said that she and Smith were both told they were limited in what they could do, so they found a new way to do things in their life. She traveled the world playing bocce, Zablotney said. He also told police he heard the "sound of gunshots" around the last time he saw her in the fall of 1998. She attended the Valley School of Ligonier from kindergarten through ninth grade and then Mount Pleasant Area High School from where she graduated in 2003. She was also full of sarcasm, wit, was habitually late, and we loved her even more for it. She will deeply be missed. Stay up-to-date on event information as well as memories shared on Katherine C. Smiths Tribute Wall. Plant a tree Memorial Trees H Hope the tree helps some love Shannon, Bre & Tabby February 21, 2023 Other stories told to police included that Lawrence, who subsisted off a pension cheque and rented an eighty-square-foot garden shed, had gone to Vancouver, Hawaii, and upstate New York. She worked diligently with caring and skilled doctors, nurses, and therapists to rebuild her strength and develop skills that would guide her path forward. Her coach, Jerry DeFlitch of East Huntingdon, recalled that Smith was a joy to coach and that she always worked hard. There is no photo or video of Katherine Smith.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Four seniors went missing in Ontarios Muskoka region in the 1990s. Another resident of Fern Glen had broken his hip and wasn't mobile. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Obituary. According to court documents obtained byThe Fifth Estate, Kathrine Laan received a nine-month conditional sentence in connection with some of those thefts. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Katherine Fields Smith, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Watch "Muskoka murders: Closing in on the killers" on The Fifth Estate on CBC-TV Sunday at 9 p.m. "I can say as a result of the press conference [this past July], we received a significant number of tips which allowed us to move this case forward. Katie had a tremendous passion for gardening at home. Her son, Ryan Smith, his wife, Brianne Stepanich-Smith, their daughters, Evie and Mazie. Badger had handed her Ms. Pennsylvania crown to Smith. However, a source with knowledge of the case claims it hasnt been active for years. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. When an isolated 77-year-old vanished from Huntsville in 1998, the Ontario Provincial Police couldn't locate any next of kin. Born April 11, 1931, in Anderson, she was the daughter of the late Bennie and Helen Buzzele Fields. The Trust Project is a collaboration among news organizations around the world. Katie also served as a mentor to both peers and students. Angier, NC: Mrs. Katherine "Elaine" Smith Reardon, age 67, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield. Most impressively, she had that exact same personality and character after the accident and through her therapy. In Lawrences case, David and Ron Allen were listed as first-degree murder suspects. Her spirit was infectious, and it was hard not to be jealous of the way she approached life. Police say they've looked into those 12 deaths and say they are not considered suspicious. A true individual and unlike anyone we have ever met or will ever meet. Several of the family members who ran the homes have criminal records. Lawrence, left, Ralph (Dougie) Grant, John Crofts and John Semple are four seniors who disappeared while living in residences owned. She loved the many cats with whom she lived through her life and will be missed dearly by her cat Scruffy. This property wasn't directly connected to the other "care homes," but was used as a rooming property for renters. Upgrade now. Asked about the disappearances of Joan Lawrence, John Semple, John Crofts, and Ralph Grant, she replied, Fake news, sir, and climbed into the drivers seat of a dark blue Volvo. Obituary. Katie was a storyteller and story collector, dedicated to telling her own to inspire others, and invested in those of strangers and friends alike. Online Finite Mathematics Tutors. Smith enrolled at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, where she graduated cum laude in 2012 with a bachelors degree in psychology and with elementary and special education certificates. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Elva Brown; sons, Robert and Charles Curtis; and sister, Barbara Howard. "It appeared to be clean and well-kept," he said. "I had significant concerns regarding the care of these individuals," he said. Facebook gives people the power to share. (82 years old). For the stories, The Walrus and The Fifth Estate have petitioned an Ontario court judge to unseal several search warrants executed in the early months of the investigation. She attended the Valley School of Ligonier from kindergarten through ninth grade and then Mt. We know that Eric M Didocha, Steve D Didocha, and seven other persons also lived at this address, perhaps within a different time frame.The phone number (248) 273-3763 (Ameritech Michigan) is Katherine's In a previously filed legal document, Justin Safayeni, a lawyer for the Toronto-based firm Stockwoods, who is representing The Walrus/CBC, argued that unsealing the information poses no serious risk to the Laans or their uncle and that the threat of vigilante justice is entirely speculative and without foundation., In fact, Safayeni writes, numerous media reports have linked the Laans to Ms. Lawrences disappearance over the past 20 years and no charges have been laid, yet there is no evidence that the Laans (or Mr. Allen) have faced any kind of threats or violence. The possibility that that would happen now is entirely speculative.. Best Match Powered by Whitepages Premium AGE 80+ Katherine Smith West Milford, NJ (previously lived in Wanaque, NJ) View Full Report Addresses The Walrus uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Fact-based journalism that sparks the Canadian conversation. Obituary SMITH, Katherine J. age 82, of Huber Heights went home to be with the Lord February 18, 2023. Katherine was a homemaker who meticulously tended to her property . Among Katies honors and achievements, she was a governing board member for the PA Youth Leadership Network, was named Ms. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Memorial contributions may be made in Katies memory to Three Rivers Adaptive Sports(TRAS): P.O. The care homes were described in promotional material as "Christian Retirement Homes," with names like Cedar Pines and Fern Glen Manor. The Fifth Estate has learned that Kathrine Laan died in July. (Matthews declined to be interviewed.). She was a regular and enthusiastic participant in The Moth Live Storytelling series in Pittsburgh. They were run mostly by four members of the Laan family David, Paul, Walter and Kathrine and their uncle Ron Allen, who was a caretaker at one property. Write your message of sympathy today. OBITUARY Katherine Mae Smith October 11, 1961 - January 11, 2023. The youngest brother, Paul, teaches English at a private university in metropolitan Seoul. . Service map data OpenStreetMap contributors, Friends and family will be received on Sunday, March 6, from 1-4 p.m. at the Snyder-Green Funeral Home; 402 E. Church St.; Ligonier, PA 15658; (724) 238-2611. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. The Walrus is a registered charity with an educational mandate. She was the school's volunteer treasurer at the time. The importance of saying "I love you" during COVID-19, Effective ways of dealing with the grieving process, Solutions to show your sympathy safely during the Covid-19 pandemic. More than two decades later, CBC Podcasts has found Lawrence's family. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Read more on our About Us page. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her brother, Timothy O. Smith. A criminal defence attorney representing the Laan siblings, as well as their uncle, Ron Allen, has responded. Officiating will be Rev. Quite apart from the potential of vigilante justice, Manishen continues, the enhanced public scrutiny of highly dramatized commentary in all forms of media, including the nations public broadcaster, have the potential for reaction at an international level. Stories about his clients could also affect their jobs and give rise to psychological and emotional distress which may continue indefinitely.. The pastor said he observed the forms were already completed and signed, which made him uncomfortable. The documents, which total more than400 pages, describe the police investigation to date, includingwhat was found in searches police carried out on the property where Lawrence was last known to have lived. She battled. ", Missing senior killed to stop her from reporting 'mistreatment, neglect,' police said, Muskoka mystery: Disappearance of 4 seniors in late 1990s haunts Ontario's cottage country. Snyder-Green Funeral Home Inc. 402 E Church St. Ligonier, PA KATHERINE SMITH OBITUARY It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Katherine Clare Smith, 36, of Stahlstown,. Sister. She was a homemaker and member of South Point Baptist Church formerly Harvest Baptist Church. But Hurley was the only surviving family member of his father's family. Would you like to offer Katherine J. Smiths loved ones a condolence message? A spokeswoman with the College of Naturopaths of Ontario, Margot White, confirmed in an email that no one by the name of Katherine Smith or Kathrine Smith is registered as a member of the college. Call Call. David Laan, who is now sixty, is believed to work at George Brown College in Toronto. David Neal officiating. Katherine Diane Smith May 11, 1958 - July 11, 2022 Share Obituary: Obituary & Events Tribute Wall 4 Share a memory Plant a tree Obituary Please share a memory of Katherine to include in a keepsake book for family and friends. OPP say they think the Laans sought out people who had no family or friends to look out for them. Katherine Marie Smith of Tracyton, WA passed away on March 15, 2022 in Silverdale WA. She was predeceased by : her parents, Robert Brown and Elva Brown; her sons, Robert and Charles Curtis; and her sister Barbara Howard. The Walrus sparks conversations about Canada and its place in the world through our award-winning independent journalism, fact checking, events, podcasts, and content solutions. The Fifth Estate has learned that Kathrine Laan died in July. February 18, 2023 Western Pennsylvania's trusted news source. "My dogs have a better place to stay, like a neater, cleaner place to stay than wherethose people were," says local contractor Geoff Vander Kloet. At the time of publication, I knew that Kathrine had a criminal record for possession, extortion, theft, and fraud. Katie Smith had been working for the Disabilities Option Network in Greensburg as its youth engagement director. He was taken there around once a month, he said. View Katherine C. 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