katherine laan smith obituary

01:05:17 - The Muskoka region of Ontario is usually a beautiful summer destination for cottage owners in Canada, but this week we tell you the story of its dar Badger said she and Smith made appearances together at the Parent Education & Advocacy Leadership (PEAL) Center in Pittsburgh, which works with disabled children and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Elva Brown; sons, Robert and Charles Curtis; and sister, Barbara Howard. By the age of 25, their sister, Kathrine Laan, had spent time in jail for drug possession, theft and extortion. Among them is Kathrine Laan, the sister and niece of Lawrences landlords. Funeral arrangement under the care ofJenkins Funeral Home. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her brother, Patrick M. Smith. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Some information may no longer be current. She was predeceased by : her parents, Robert Brown and Elva Brown; her sons, Robert and Charles Curtis; and her sister Barbara Howard. When Lawrence realized she hadn't received the cheque, she had a friend who worked at a local law office look into it. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. As we look at Who We Are Now in 2023, help us power the next 20 years of inspiring conversations and fact-checked journalism. For those four who disappeared and had no one to look out for them, Matthews is hopeful that justice will be served and they can finally be laid to rest. Its thought that Lawrence moved to Huntsville from Barrie, Ontario, in 1963. Katie Smith had been working for the Disabilities Option Network in Greensburg as its youth engagement director. Officiating will be Rev. Burial will be private. . Detectives had to take him to hospital, where he was admitted because of his poor health. 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. She will be dearly missed by all. 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. They also confirm, for the first time, that police believed at least one of the missing seniors was killed and that a member of the Laan family was responsible. 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. The Walrus is a registered charity with an educational mandate. Ten of the residents were deaf. Heended up at Fern Glen inUtterson, almost 200 kilometres further north from Toronto than Richmond Hill. She was instructed by Three Rivers Adaptive Sports and completed the Pittsburgh Marathon three times in hand-cycling. What Matthews saw in the early days of investigating the homes had him worried for the well-being of the residents who lived there. Read more on our About Us page. Katie has forever impacted our lives in the best way possible and there are no words for the mark she has left on all of us.. His younger brother Walter Laan's criminal record began at the age of 18 and continued over 24 years with convictions for property offences, breaking and entering, fraud and impersonating a police officer. "They were the ones that were always there when I went.". When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. He also told police he heard the "sound of gunshots" around the last time he saw her in the fall of 1998. Another resident said he was taken into town once in a while, but after a short time "he felt that it was useless to go intotown because he didn't even have money for a cup of coffee.". Smiling, she waved at the camera and then drove off. The missing piece of the puzzle is out there somewhere and I'm very optimistic that we will find it. Her spirit was infectious, and it was hard not to be jealous of the way she approached life. She touched many and was able to sincerely connect and communicate with people of all ages, from different walks of life and situations. "She had stated that she did not trust them and to call the police if anything ever happened to her," the police documents from an interview with a friend say. OPP Det. Katherine now resides at 879 Kirts Boul, Troy, MI 48084-4857. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. She attended the Valley School of Ligonier from kindergarten through ninth grade and then Mt. She graduated cum laude from Seton Hill University in 2012 with a BA in Psychology and with Elementary and Special Education Certificates. Leave a sympathy message to the family in the guestbook on this memorial page of Katherine J. Smith to show support. 269 Belmont Street Waymart, PA KATHERINE SMITH OBITUARY April 29, 1988 - November 14, 2022 It is with a heavy heart and unmeasurable sadness that we announce the death of our 34-year-old. She can be reached at [email protected]. Connersville native, Katherine L. Smith, 68, died Sunday, August 21, 2022 surrounded by her loving family. Another point of contention between lawyers is the extent to which the police investigation remains open. Erin Burke wrote in the search warrant application. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Lessons from Fort Jefferson continue to have impact. (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. Her coach, Jerry DeFlitch of East Huntingdon, recalled that Smith was a joy to coach and that she always worked hard. I looked around and went, oh it seems OK.", Hurley met Kathrine and Walter Laan during his visits. Claiming mistreatment and financial abuse, Lawrence approached a law firm to help her gather evidence against her landlords to bring to the OPP. Lawrence told the friend that Allen later admitted to her that he had forged her signature and cashed the cheque. Smith had been working for the Disabilities Option Network in Greensburg as its youth engagement director. The newly released documentsinclude details about a gun found on the property from which Lawrence disappeared, along with insight into conditions of "care homes" run by the Laan family in the area and information about a forged signature on a tax cheque that police believe was the catalyst in Lawrence's disappearance. Muskoka mystery: Missing senior killed to stop her from reporting 'mistreatment, neglect,' police said | CBC News Loaded. Privacy Policy and After two decades, the Ontario Provincial Police have received substantial tips that are helping them advance their investigation into what happened to four seniors who disappeared from the province's Muskoka region in the late 1990s, The Fifth Estate has learned. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Join Facebook to connect with Kathy Laan and others you may know. According to court documents obtained byThe Fifth Estate, Kathrine Laan received a nine-month conditional sentence in connection with some of those thefts. Katie was also an accomplished athlete. . But I will say that I had significant concerns regarding the care of these individuals. A resident at Fern Glen Manor told police the Laans told him he was being taken from SeatonHouse,a homeless shelter in Toronto, to Richmond Hill. The Laans reportedly said it was against their religion to eat meat, so meals consisted of hard-boiled eggs and Kraft Dinner three times a day. Another resident told police he had no shower facilities and was told he'd be taken to Fern Glen to shower once a week. Write your message of sympathy today. The documents show Allen told one detective he killed 10 to 15 of Lawrence's cats. Hurley said reflecting back now, he thinks the only reason his father lived as long as he did is because, unlike in many other cases, his father had family to watch out for him. The youngest brother, Paul, teaches English at a private university in metropolitan Seoul. Call Call. Your browser may not work with certain site. She courageously battled an illness and died in the hospital at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA. Now, after a successful court battle by the CBC and The Walrus, the sealing orders on the remaining documents have been lifted. Timmy Blair. She is survived by : her children, Kathy Curtis of Vandalia, Suzanne Phillips (Kenneth) of Huber Heights and Christopher Smith of Dayton; her grandchildren, Nicole Taylor (Erik), Collin Phillips (Bridget), Lindsay Smith of Edwards, AFB and Kristopher Phillips; and her great grandchildren, Zachary, Natalie, Jaiden and Camden. Before arriving on the Island, she worked in Toronto as an investigative journalist with CBC's The Fifth Estate, where she received two Canadian Screen Awards, a Michener Award and a National Radio Television Digital News Association Award. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. View Tribute Book Read more Events Resources Unique Funeral Options 6 Ways To Thank A Caregiver (and more!) Box 38235, Pittsburgh PA 15216 and www.traspa.org and the Pittsburgh Steelwheelers www.steelwheelers.com. 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. 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. Ms. Katherine Clare Smith, 36, died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. What initially seemed to be tragic misfortune would instead become the beginning of 15 years of perseverance, inspiration, and accomplishment. Katie was a truly beloved friend to the many people she met through her life. That property, about 13 kilometres southwest of Huntsville,was owned by three members of theLaanfamily. Police spent nearly three years searching for bodies, clues and answers, but none of the four have been seen since and none of their bodies have been found. She married Donald "Don" Smith on August 6, 1990 in Jellico, Tennessee. 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. None of the Laans, or their uncle, Ron Allen, reported their residents as missing. Katie was a storyteller and story collector, dedicated to telling her own to inspire others, and invested in those of strangers and friends alike. Using the title naturopathic doctor and the name Katherine Smith, she has been presenting a plant-based cooking class since September 2017, showcasing recipes for gluten-free pumpkin bars and mushroom gravy. You can read the feature Cottage Country Murder here. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Published on October 4, 2022 Plant a Living Memorial In Memory of Katherine San Francisco Bay. Interment will be private. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her brother, Timothy O. Smith. "And she was a very good one, apparently.". The forms, he said, were to give theLaanspermission to change residents' bank accounts and to have theirchequesdeposited directly. Around 1994, David, Walter, Paul, and their sister Kathrinewho is not one of Manishens clientsopened a series of retirement homes in Emsdale and Huntsville. I wish I could talk about what I saw in those homes but when this case finally is resolved, I feel those [victims'] families will have justice.". Twitter for iPhone 3 Likes Rhymes with Pocohontas @rnrolljo Nov 3, 2019 Replying to @True_North__ and @CP24 Around 1994, David, Walter, Paul, and their sister Kathrinewho is not one of Manishen's clientsopened a series of retirement homes in Emsdale and Huntsville. Fact-based journalism that sparks the Canadian conversation. Joe Napsha is a Tribune-Review staff writer. To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Katherine Fields Smith, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. She was a registered nurse, having received an Associate of Science in nursing from Walters State and Bachelor of Science from Tusculum College. Lawrence also began to indicate she was in danger. She is also survived by other relatives and friends. Her son, Ryan Smith, his wife, Brianne Stepanich-Smith, their daughters, Evie and Mazie. Smith had played soccer in high school. "I'd like to describe what I saw, but I can't because it's a point of evidence. In 1996, his father fell ill and was moved to hospital in Huntsville. The Trust Project is a collaboration among news organizations around the world. The pastor said he observed the forms were already completed and signed, which made him uncomfortable. She was a regular and enthusiastic participant in The Moth Live Storytelling series in Pittsburgh. 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.. Angier, NC: Mrs. Katherine "Elaine" Smith Reardon, age 67, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 at the SECU Hospice House in Smithfield. Lawrence, known locally as The Cat Lady because she lived in a small, rundown garden shed with 30 or so cats, went missing from a home operated by the Laan family. The documents show in detail investigators theories' about the 77-year-old's disappearance, which police believe took place between mid-October and mid-November 1998. Katherine C. Smith. Several of the family members who ran the homes have criminal records. There was never an opportunity missed on a good one liner. Open visitation at 12:30 pm. No charges have ever been laid in the disappearance of any of the four seniors. Billerica, MA. He said later that he couldn't recall where he shot them or where they are now, but knew whenhe killed them. 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.. 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. As we look at Who We Are Now in 2023, help us power the next 20 years of inspiring conversations and fact-checked journalism. "I believe [Joan] Lawrence's death occurred to prevent her from reporting frauds, thefts, mistreatment and neglect she was enduring at the hands of [her landlords] David Laan and Ron Allen," OPP Det.-Const. There is no photo or video of Katherine Smith.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. Plant a tree Memorial Trees H Hope the tree helps some love Shannon, Bre & Tabby February 21, 2023 The Laans lawyer, Jeffrey Manishen, at that time argued that releasing the documents would "seriously impact" the "privacy and reputational interests of the Laans.". , Evie and Mazie told one detective he killed 10 to 15 of 's. North from Toronto than Richmond Hill, she had a friend who worked at a local law office look it! Find it had significant concerns regarding the care of these individuals be taken to Glen... Be jealous of the family bring to the OPP among them is Kathrine Laan, the sister niece! 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