Editor, The Times:
My name is Terry Parkinson. I was in Clearwater last week and visited the information centre. The young folks working there put me in touch with Clara Ferguson. She suggested I get in touch with you.
My uncle Bill drowned at Clearwater while fishing in one of the rivers. Bill was 21 years old. His home was Baljennie, Saskatchewan.
The story goes that when he drowned, the community of Clearwater took up a collection to hire a diver from Vancouver to recover his body. The diver was successful and Bill’s body was shipped home.
My uncle Doug was with Bill and witnessed the drowning. Neither of them could swim.
This happened on Aug. 21, 1949.
I was wondering if you had any further information about this incident. I was five years old and can still remember the devastating effect this tragedy had on my grandparents and my father as well as the rest of my family.
I have wanted to make a trip to Clearwater and finally got there last week. If you have any further information about my uncle’s death, I would appreciate hearing from you.
Terry Parkinson
Courtenay, B.C.
