1959 July 31 The Citizen ( Prince George newspaper )
1959 September 4 The Citizen
1959 October 27 Prince George Citizen
So we have these horrific murders done by Richard Alexander Huculak (b. 1924? )Contrary to what the newspapers say, Richard was incarcerated on the 19th of August 1958 to 9 months in the Prince George goal, after being convicted of theft he was moved from there in October to Oakalla prison in Burnaby.
So not that long after his release the murders occurred.
He was remanded in September of 1959 to Oakalla; then in October 1959 taken to Essondale, for assessment. He was found to be insane and was to be kept under strict custody; by 1969 he was allowed to move between Colony Farm and Essondale; but in 1973 dismissed from working at Colony Farm, as incapable of work. In 1977 he was discharged, and in May of 1982 he was given an absolute discharge. I could find no trace of him, after he left the hospital. One of the reports though does list his name with the addition of HOLM in brackets on the end, so possibly he changed his name, which is a common practice
The murdered daughter:
Linda Gwendoline Townsend 29 March 1951 Westlock, Alberta - 30 July 1959
parents Claude Andrew Townsend, ( 1922 – 1996 ) and Violet Doris Eyvon Gower
Linda is buried at the Fruitvale Memorial cemetery
The murdered mother:
Eyvon Violet Doris Gower, Evyon Violet Doris Townsend
b. 23 January 1933 Westlock, Alberta - 30 July 1959 --- Parks, B.C. [ Parks is known today as Parks Siding ]
parents Edward James Gower, and Mildred Price( 1911 – 2006 )
Eyvon is buried at the Fruitvale Memorial cemetery with her daughter
Fruitvale Memorial cemetery
Memorial tree, at the Fruitvale Memorial cemetery
Evidently not forgotten after all these years, impossible to forget such a tragic event for all concerned. The husband Claude Andrew Townsend,( 1922 – 1996 ) who appears to have used his middle name Andrew Townsend throughout his life, must have faced a huge uphill battle to take care of the remaining three children. The lady who is mentioned in the newspapers as being the first on the scene is Freda Margaret Anderson (unknown – unknown ) buried at the Fruitvale Memorial cemetery
Her husband: Elmer Roy Plested ( 1912 - 1992 ( a )-( b ) ) is also buried at the Fruitvale Memorial cemetery
Freda must have carried the horrible scene she found in her head for the rest of her life. Not helped by what the uncompassionate, incompetent bureaucracy did to her in her twilight years
Compassionate care can't be measured with money
The recent situation regarding seniors' health care is indeed tragic, as demonstrated in the case of Fanny and Alfred Albo, but definitely not unique. My neighbour, whose mother Freda Plested was a lifelong resident of the Trail area, also died after much stress because of her continued relocation. The stress on Freda and on her family was very evident. Frail adults cannot physically handle such anxieties.
FEBRUARY 27, 2006 DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
It was a first-available-bed policy that was going to have Freda Plested moved from her home in Trail to Grand Forks. The family was so upset that they instead opted to pay $145 a day to have her cared for in a private facility near their home.
Rest in Peace
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