Plant a tree Memorial Trees H Hope the tree helps some love Shannon, Bre & Tabby February 21, 2023 Charges against David Laan were withdrawn. Her sister, Jane Benedict, and, her nephew, Michael Benedict. When journalists from The Fifth Estate approached David in a Toronto parking lot this past summer, he declined to answer questions and drove away. Walter, fifty-seven, operates Esto Mechanical, a North Yorkbased heating, refrigeration, and air-conditioning company. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. She was sentenced to nine months in custody. Among Katies honors and achievements, she was a governing board member for the PA Youth Leadership Network, was named Ms. The portions of the search warrants that remain under seal will be challenged by The Walrus/CBC in a hearing later this month. She. Would you like to offer Katherine Smiths loved ones a condolence message? Friends and family will be received from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Snyder-Green Funeral Home, 402 E. Church St., Ligonier, where a funeral service will immediately follow. Billerica, MA. In July 2007, Katie became a quadriplegic after suffering a spinal cord injury in a car accident. Ron Allen was a caretaker there and David Laan was the landlord. As Cathy directed, cremation has taken place. (82 years old). 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. Obituary SMITH, Katherine J. age 82, of Huber Heights went home to be with the Lord February 18, 2023. Interment will be private. Fact-based journalism that sparks the Canadian conversation. Wheelchair Pennsylvania organization. Join Facebook to connect with Kathy Laan and others you may know. "It's amazing," said Matthews, who has been working on the case since the beginning. Police believed an elderly woman who disappeared in Ontario's cottage country two decades ago was killed to "prevent her from reporting frauds, thefts, mistreatment and neglect she was enduring" from her landlords, according to documents recently obtained by The Fifth Estate. Smith was a board member of the local chapter of United Spinal Association and the Stoneybrook Foundation, which operates a therapeutic riding center in Acme. In an affidavit filed in June, the OPP investigator currently assigned to the case, Rob Matthews, repeatedly describes it being active and ongoing. Ron Allens age and whereabouts are unknown. By the age of 25, their sister, Kathrine Laan, had spent time in jail for drug possession, theft and extortion. And her sister, Jillian Mariani. Donate to The Walrus today. Thelma loved the Lord and devoted her life to Christ at an early age. 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. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. Officiating will be Rev. Just Fontaine, who scored 13 goals at 1958 World Cup, dies, Terry Holland, who transformed Virginia basketball, dies at 80, Kremlin image-maker turned critic Gleb Pavlovsky dies at 71, Betty Boothroyd, first female UK Commons speaker, dies at 93, Charleroi native, CMU grad actress Barbara Bosson dead at 83, Long-lost ship found in Lake Huron, confirming tragic story, GZA, Donnie Iris, John Mayer among top concerts to see around Pittsburgh in March, How officials cracked case of eyedrops that blinded people. Read more on our About Us page. Obituary. Burial will take place at a later date at Fairfield Township. "When [my father] did call me, I always got the feeling that there was someone on staff in the room with him," Hurley told The Fifth Estate. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. She is also survived by 6 beautiful nieces and nephews. According to court documents obtained byThe Fifth Estate, Kathrine Laan received a nine-month conditional sentence in connection with some of those thefts. Katherine J. Smith Obituary We are sad to announce that on February 18, 2023 we had to say goodbye to Katherine J. Smith of Huber Heights, Ohio. She used everything life gave her to become the best she could be, Badger said. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Katherine Fields Smith, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. 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. With thanks,Jennifer HollettExecutive Director, Updated 9:54, Nov. 12, 2019|Published 15:11, Mar. Hurley lived at Cedar Pines, one of the homes run by the Laans, for a few years until his death in 1996. 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 m, 41 Matt twelfth Kraal mroit. In November 1998, the OPP began investigating the disappearance of Joan Lawrence, a seventy-seven-year-old Huntsville resident known as the Cat Lady, who lived on a farm property owned by the Laans. The four missing seniors all lived with the Laans prior to their disappearance. National President. "I am optimistic that one day we'll be sitting in court and the individuals responsible will have to justify their actions.". Ten of the residents were deaf. There are no events at this time. In late 1998, a resident of one of the homes where Lawrence was living reported to his social worker that he thought she was missing. She was born Aug. 30, 1985, in Latrobe, the daughter of Patricia O'Brien Smith and the late. Visitation will conclude with a memorial service to celebrate Katies life, with Pastor David Clement of Trinity Lutheran Church of Latrobe officiating. Paul Laan has not responded to a request for comment. She would light up any room she entered. 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. Ms. Katherine Clare Smith, 36, died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. She was born December . 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. Katherine J. Smith April 4, 1940 - February 18, 2023 Share Obituary: 1 Tree has been planted in memory of Katherine Smith. There are no events at this time. Call Call. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. prior to the service. Katherine now resides at 879 Kirts Boul, Troy, MI 48084-4857. View Katherine C. Smith's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more. Lawrence, left, Ralph (Dougie) Grant, John Crofts and John Semple are four seniors who disappeared while living in residences owned. 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. Hurley made several visits to Cedar Pines to see his father and said he didn't think anything was off at the time. Online Financial Statement Analysis Tutors. Interment will be private. A private celebration of life will follow at a later date. Last month, Fifth Estate journalists and I interacted with Kathrine outside a movie theatre in Bracebridge. Hurley said police called him two years after his father died around 1998, when their investigation began but didn't offer him any new information. A Graveside Service will be held on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 12:00 p. . She had a true affection for all young people and amassed an impressive childrens book collection. A Loved One Has Passed Away Customer Service Plan Ahead . She is also survived by other relatives and friends. View Katherine C. Smith's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more. The information contained in the documents has not been tested in court. . She was a graduate of Everett High School, earned an Associate in Arts and Sciences degree at Everett Junior College, and received a Bachelor of . Box 38235, Pittsburgh PA 15216 or www.traspa.org, and the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers, www.pittsburghsteelwheelers.com. Now, after continuing the court battle to have the documents uncensored,The Fifth Estateand The Walrus were successful in having them released fully unredacted. Pleasant Area High School, where she graduated in 2003. Surviving are her daughters: Delores Burdette (Johnny) of Anderson and Christina Cookie Smith (Tony) of Belton; five grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. Box 38235, Pittsburgh PA 15216 and www.traspa.org and the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers www.steelwheelers.com. 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. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. You can contact Joe by email at jnapsha@triblive.com or via Twitter . . Some information may no longer be current. 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. Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application. View Tribute Book Read more Events Resources Unique Funeral Options 6 Ways To Thank A Caregiver (and more!) He said at the time he assumed his father owed rent payments to the care home. Many of the people who lived at Laan homes were homeless, mentally ill or had no family left. Approached for comment multiple times byThe Fifth Estate, members of theLaanfamilydeclined to comment. 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. No charges have ever been laid in the disappearance of any of the four seniors. As we look at Who We Are Now in 2023, help us power the next 20 years of inspiring conversations and fact-checked journalism. She was a one of those one-in-a-million people. Rob Matthews told The Fifth Estate the case is moving forward in a substantial way after they received a "significant" number of tips and information following a news conference this summer and media attention to the case. Writing on behalf of his clients, Manishen says information about the case should remain private until the police investigation is closed. Citing legal examples in which judges ruled against journalists seeking similar access, Manishen argues that the publication of stories containing inadmissible or irrelevant details about his clients that could prejudice prospective jurors and infringe on their right to a fair trial. There she worked with vulnerable members of her community on issues like access to affordable housing and healthcare benefits and had recently been promoted to a supervisory role at DON. Joan Lawrence, a seventy-seven-year-old who lived on a Laan property, paid over $700 to rent an eight-by-ten foot shedcovered in newspaper littered with cat urine and feces, according to one of the documentswith no insulation, running water, or electricity. Get this The News page for free from Friday, June 26, 1925 TRICTS HIGH LIGHTS OF HISTORY by J. CARROLL MANSF1ELI Founding of Georgia. Katie was a truly beloved friend to the many people she met through her life. Mrs. Thelma Louise Cooper Muldrow was born in Florence, South Carolina on February 19, 1955, to the late Robert Christopher Cooper, Sr. and the late Alberta Alexander Cooper. Katherine Smith Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Katherine Smith of Union Dale, Pennsylvania, who passed away on November 14, 2022 at the age of 34. Grand Rapids Press Obituaries - Mon, 24 Oct 2022 . Its thought that Lawrence moved to Huntsville from Barrie, Ontario, in 1963. Despite extensive and repeated searches by police, the bodies of Joan Lawrence, John Semple, John Crofts, and Ralph Grant have not yet been found. She attended the Valley School of Ligonier from kindergarten through ninth grade and then Mt. Smith was such a happy person, said Barb Zablotney of Windber, a 2018 Ms. He signed all but two of the forms. 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. Lawrence disappeared shortly after noticing a tax refund cheque she was expecting never came to her. The Walrus uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. Several of the family members who ran the homes have criminal records. Since her last known arrest in the early 2000s, she has changed the spelling of her name at least six times and altered her physical appearance. (Lisa Mayor/CBC) Police believed an elderly woman who disappeared in Ontario's cottage country two decades ago was killed to "prevent her from reporting frauds, thefts, mistreatment and neglect. The Laans lawyer, Jeffrey Manishen, at that time argued that releasing the documents would "seriously impact" the "privacy and reputational interests of the Laans.". The youngest brother, Paul, teaches English at a private university in metropolitan Seoul. Wheelchair Pennsylvania and president of the Ms. "They were the ones that were always there when I went.". "It appeared to be clean and well-kept," he said. San Francisco Bay. She did not view needing a wheelchair to give her mobility as a disadvantage because it gave her so many opportunities, Badger said. For over four years she worked for the PEAL Center in Pittsburgh, PA, where she designed and coordinated curriculum and events for transitioning youth with special needs throughout Pennsylvania. 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. In the case of Ralph Grant, John Crofts, and John Semple, whose ages ranged from sixty-nine to ninety, no suspects have officially been named, though in 2001 Walter told the Toronto Sun that police were trying to put a murder charge on us.. The Ontario Provincial Policedocuments, obtained in court byThe Fifth Estateand the Walrus magazine, were part of a search warrant application filed in a homicide investigation into the disappearance of Joan Lawrence, a localwoman known as The Cat Lady who went missing in Muskoka in the late 1990s. The Trust Project is a collaboration among news organizations around the world. She was a homemaker and member of South Point Baptist Church formerly Harvest Baptist . Terms of Service apply. Anthony Varcak Sandy Weingartz . "I felt angry, I felt upset," said Sherry Churchill . After high school, Katie attended Penn State University and was enrolled in their nursing program until 2007. "[Kathrine] would go to Toronto and find people who had no connection to any other people, really, and she would entice them and say, you know, I have a nice retirement home up north and it's a beautiful place," says former friend Alice Peddie, who knew Kathrine Laan when she was involved in the care homes. In his affidavit, Matthews points to other cases in which advancements in technology and suspects who let their guard down have led to convictions, suggesting that he hopes the same will be true with this case. View the profiles of people named Kathy Laan. She departed this life on February 5, 2023, at the age of 67, while resting at home. Smith had played soccer in high school. And there was never a time that she allowed anything to stop her from doing what she loved. Katherine Mae Smith Obituary. Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Lawrence also began to indicate she was in danger. The documents state that Kathrine bugged Lawrence to move into Cedar Pines, a residence Kathrine had purchased west of Huntsville. 2023 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. He also told police he heard the "sound of gunshots" around the last time he saw her in the fall of 1998. Lisa Mayor is a journalist with CBC News on Prince Edward Island. Martin Funeral Home Phone: (205) 755-3550 1300 4th Ave . After sources told me she was living in my home community, I discovered her renting a nondescript bungalow 900 metres from the Bracebridge, Ontario, police detachment. Katie also served as a mentor to both peers and students. One of those people who died while being cared for by the Laanswas 76-year old John Jefferson (Jeff) Hurley. She was born Aug. 30, 1985, in Latrobe, the daughter of Patricia OBrien Smith and the late Robert Melville Smith. Lisa Mayor is a journalist with CBC News on Prince Edward Island. Court documents obtained by The Fifth Estate show that Hurley's father was one of 12 people police say the Laans were stealing money from after they died and in Hurley's case, cashing his pension cheques for four years after he died. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. 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