I picked this up from Megan’s RootsWorld blog and am hoping one of our readers can help in this search. A man dying of pancreatic cancer has been reunited with most of his siblings, but would like to meet two sisters who have not yet been found–
VALERIE MARTHA EDWARDS, born Sept 24, 1951
ROSE MARIE EDWARDS, born July 7, 1954More information:
All siblings are: Stella, Valerie, Percy, Rose, Julie, Billy, Patricia (me), Steven. [The family] used to live at 250 King St W in Dundas Ontario, up until April 6, 1962, before [they]Â were taken by the (CAS) Children’s Aid Society. The CAS in Hamilton Ontario handled [the] adoptions.
VALERIE entered care at age 10 on April 6, 1962. She was placed in foster care immediately, which ended up being her permanent home. Her adoption was finalized early 1964. Her adoptive parents had 6 children. Her adoptive father was a railway engineer.
ROSE MARIE entered care at age 7 on April 6, 1962. She was placed in foster care. She stayed in foster care until age 9. Her adoption was finalized in the late fall of 1964. I believe her adoptive father was an accountant. They had 1 older daughter at the time.
For more information, visit the Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild page set up for this family.
Dear Juliana,
Thank you so much for picking up this story. It’s a very sad thing that this young man is dying and even sadder still that the “powers that be” have the information he seeks and will not share it with him.
They need all the media attention they can get and I hope others will join in and help with the search.
Peace to you and those you love,
Patty Mccormack
Founder
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
Bringing Our Ancestors Home – Reuniting Our Families
Thank you so much for posting this for our family. This means so much to our family, we really need to find our sisters as soon as we can. We have been separated for over 45 yrs.
Our brother Andy wishes to meet or at least talk to as many of his siblings as he can. This means a lot to him.
Thanks again for helping us!
Joanne Brouwer
You’re very welcome! We’ll be praying for the whole family and for a successful reunion.
Juliana
Joanne, have you been in contact with a local adoption search and support group? If you need to find one I can help. Write to me at ccnmATrogers.com.
Do you have your sisters’ non-identifying information from the Hamilton CAS?
Did you know that the ON government is opening sealed adoption records on September 17th? Unfortunately only adoptees and their original parents can apply. However, there are provisions for emergency medical searches. Do you have the ear of your MPP?
Karen
I have emailed dozens of places for help finding our sisters. I contacted the ADR, sent in forms for an emergency medical search and was refused. I have contacted the Premier of Canada, and he can’t help either.
On a good note though, a reporter from the Hamilton Spectator in Ontario contacted me today, he’s doing a story for the paper about our search. It should be in wednesday’s or thursday’s Hamilton Spectator.
The adoption group I belong to (soaring Angels) has done a mass email to Montel asking for his help too.
Joanne Brouwer
Hi Karen,
I’ve written to Joanne to ask her to respond to to you. I know that she is active on several adoption support groups and has applied for emergency medical searches through the ADR and been told they cannot help her. The list of people she has contacted is a mile long. On a brighter note, the Hamilton Spectator (I think that’s the name of the newpaper) is going a story for them.
Thanks to everyone for all your help.
Peace,
Patty
Thanks Patty for letting me know about this! I’ve been soooo busy today! The Hamilton Spectator in Ontario ran our story today in hopes of finding our sisters for us! Here is the link: http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/240851
My phone has been ringing off the wall. Since this story ran this morning, I have found Valerie!! Her husband gave me a call this morning, I haven’t talked to her yet, but hopefully in a couple days!! Her husband is working nights, and she would want him by her side when she calls!
Now we only need to find Rose!!
Just heard the terrific news about Valerie! C’mon, Rose! Where are you?!
I just want to pass on my latest from Joanne who, right now, is living on her phone and her computer and watching her two year old granddaughter all at the same time.
Joanne wrote:
It’s really been an emotional day for me. I also got a call from a man who’s wife is related to the guy that our Mother lived with before she died.
His wife said that our Mother was a wonderful person. She never forgot us, loved us a great deal. She also said our Mother used to talk about all of us all the time.
That was so nice to hear. I always wondered about our Mom. I can’t imagine the pain she carried with her for so many years. She had a terrible marriage to our father, he left her with all of us kids. She couldn’t take care of us, she couldn’t even talk to us as she was deaf, and couldn’t speak due to a cleft pallet. The Children’s Aid took us away. She must have lived in great pain after that. She died 10 yrs to the day that we were taken from her.
I wish I could have met her.
Wow! Wonderful news Joanne! We’ll be linking to this post in Monday’s Ancestry Weekly Journal. Maybe one of our readers will be able to help you find Rose.
I’m keeping you in my thoughts and prayers!
Juliana
Hi Juliana and thanks again for all your help. Can you give me the url so I can read Monday’s Ancestry Weekly Journal?
They have some leads on Rose Marie and are busy tracking them down, but have not found her yet.
Peace to you and those you love,
Patty
I cryed when I read this, especially about the mother who was deaf. What a terrible ordeal she had to suffer giving up her children. Good luck to each of you. I pray you will find your sister and have a joyous reunion before your brother passes away. I love researching my history and reading about others who are dfoing the same. God bless all of you.
Dearest Joanne,I read your story with greatinterest because I too had a distant cousin with 7 siblings whose father killed his wife in a drunken rage and the younger kids were also adopted out.Windy,the youngest really lucked out with her adoptive parents. The father was a Church of the Nazerine pastor and she was raised in the church. She is now a Church chaplain in hospitals in the Kansas city area. We met through Ancestry.com and 2 years ago she found 2 of her brothers and on the way to spend Christmas with one of them,she stopped over and stayed with me for 2 days. I am so thankful that we met and that I have a new cousin. Tomorrow at bible study,I am going to request a special prayer that Rosie will be found by then and for your brother. Ask God to take away his illness.and if your brother has faith that God can heal him, I believe he will. God Bless you and all your family Keep the faith,Carolyn
Thanks so much everyone for your kind words and prayers. We’re still trying to find Rose, as of right now, we have nothing.
I thought I would update everyone. Rose Marie Edwards dob July 7, 1954 is still not found. Our time is running out and we really hope to find her soon.
Thanks again everyone for all the thoughts, prayers, and help, we all really appreciate it.
Joanne
qlveots eqgr exjrnhpt dybwtscie qjtr wxgzukd bljxz