UPDATE: Missing Enderby woman found dead
UPDATE: 9:39 A.M. MAR. 5
A missing senior with dementia was found dead Wednesday afternoon.
RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says people fishing in the Salmon Lake area found Barbara Derenowski, missing since Monday afternoon, and reported it to the Merritt RCMP detachment.
“Early indications appear that Barbara got her truck stuck in snow on a road that is not used during the winter. It appears she got out and walked and likely succumbed to the weather conditions,” Molendyk says.
The death is under investigation by the B.C. Coroners Service and Merritt RCMP.
ORIGINAL STORY
ENDERBY – Help is needed in locating a 73-year-old Enderby woman with dementia who has not been seen since Monday afternoon.
Barbara Nell Derenowski's care worker saw her March 2 at roughly 2:30 p.m. at Derenowski's home at 118 Salmon Arm Dr. in Enderby, but nobody has seen her since, according to an RCMP media release. Her blue 1998 Ford extended cab pickup truck with B.C. licence plate FF-5598 is also gone, though she doesn't have a valid driver's licence.
Derenowski is described as 5'9" tall with a medium build. Her dyed red hair is long, reaching the middle of her back, and is normally worn in a braid.
It's possible Derenowski has taken her cat Pinky with her to visit friends in the Oyama-Winfield area, but the exact address is unknown and she doesn't carry a cell phone. Derenowski has a ranching background and has also been talking about purchasing a ranch or a farm.
Her family is worried she may not remember where she lives, or any contact information, but believe she might remember she lives in Enderby.
Though Derenowski's vehicle is similar to the one in the photo, it may be a different shade of blue.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
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9 responses
My heart is breaking…. I have been trying to reach Bubbie (Barbara) for over a year. This precious angle took me into her home at age 16 and changed my life. She provided me the love and comfort I needed and made me the woman and mother I am today. My youngest child and I had plans to visit the Kamloops area in search of her this June. May she RIP and be reunited with her son Danny. Bubbie you are always with me and you will always be my mother, I wish I had known that you needed me as I would have taken you in and cared for you as you did me so many years ago. Please know this woman was an angel and her heart was bigger then anyone could imagine. I moved to Windsor 29 years ago but Bubbie and I always kept in touch… Until A little over a year ago when her number had changed and I had no contact information for her family.As tears fill my eyes I am so sad to have to find out this let alone by googling her name. Dear god please hold her safe and know how much she was loved. I feel sick finding out she died alone. You will live forever in my heart. I LOVE YOU BUBBIE till we meet again. Love Maureen Jackson. (Moe #2)
She didn’t have a valid drivers licence . Poor dear lady may she rest in peace. Heartbreaking for the friends and family.
I am sorry to hear this sad news. Been a long time since we spoke. :( She saved my life back in 1981.
Thank for that answer Kandice, that was awesome!
such sad news , my heart goes out to her family and friends.
This is so sad…prayers for her family…RIP Barbara.
Thank you for clearing that up Kandice Tracy.
Sadly often family does not understand the need to have a person with this illness in a facility that can manage them safely so they hire “workers” and often they are not qualified to look after their charge properly.Even worse is when family turns a blind eye and thinks things will get better on there own, or it is not that bad etc…which often leads to missing persons, or unfortunately death by freezing etc…
I was wondering that too.