CANADA Canada - Don Petterson, 57, Port Alberni’s Gyro Williamson Park, Vancouver, 9 Jun 1996

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Missing ‘Where is my Dad?’ sign returned in Port Alberni - Vancouver Island Free Daily

• Jul. 15, 2020

Lisa Petterson of Merville has her ‘Where is My Dad?’ sign back, thanks to a couple of Good Samaritans in Port Alberni.

Once word got out on social media that someone had taken down the sign Petterson had erected at Gyro Williamson Park, people started looking for it.

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Petterson came to Port Alberni on Father’s Day to put up the sign asking for information on the disappearance of her father 24 years earlier in Port Alberni. Don Petterson had come to the city from Surrey to look for property. After spending the night of June 8, 1996 in cells at the Port Alberni RCMP station following a night of drinking, Don left the police station, withdrew some money from a bank on Johnston Road and was never seen again.


Daughter appeals for help to find man who vanished from Port Alberni 24 years ago
June 21st, 2020

According to his family, the 57-year-old had travelled to Port Alberni to check out some retirement properties in the area.

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Don had booked viewings with real estate agents but never showed up.

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“The last physical evidence that I have of my Dad being in Port Alberni is someone saw him in this park,” said Lisa. “He went and made a cash withdrawal of $300 from the cash machine and that was the last that was seen or heard of him.”

 

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‘Where’s my Dad?’ Vancouver Island woman searches for father 24 years after disappearance - Comox Valley Record


Don “got into a little bit of mischief” and was trying to sleep it off on a park bench in what is now known as Gyro Williamson Park when the Port Alberni RCMP picked him up. “They threw him in the drunk tank for the night,” Petterson said.

“The RCMP let him out the next morning, and he went to a bank machine, withdrew $300 and that was the last that was heard from him.”

That was June 9, 1996...

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She felt police were slow to react to Don’s disappearance at first. She asked the bank to release security photos of the person who took out money from her parents’ joint bank account, but the bank wouldn’t release them to her.

“It wasn’t until I got a lawyer that they took it seriously,” she said. “Now I think things have changed quite a bit.”

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“I believe somebody knows something. Maybe they’re scared.”

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Petterson has set up a Facebook page called Where is My Dad? to encourage people to reach out to her. Her phone number is on the sign, and anyone with information who is afraid to speak up can call CrimeStoppers.

 

[YaYa_521]

Surrey RCMP - Donald Petterson

File# 1996-60622

Donald PETTERSON was last seen by family friends on June 6th, 1996 at the Cumberland Hotel in Courtenay. The last official sighting of PETTERSON was on June 9th, 1996 in the Port Alberni area.

Physical Description

• Age: 74 Years (currently)
• Sex: Male
• Height: 5' 11"
• Weight: 178 lbs
• Hair: Brown
• Eyes: Blue
• Ethnicity: Caucasian decent
• Light complexion

File Details
On June 3rd, 1996 Donald PETTERSON called his wife to advise her that he had travelled to Vancouver Island and was looking at retirement property and would return shortly. He advised that he was staying at the Arbutus Hotel in Courtenay, BC.

Over the next few days PETTERSON was seen in and around the Courtenay area. He was last seen by family friends on June 6th at the Cumberland Hotel in Courtenay. The last official sighting of PETTERSON was on June 9th, 1996 in the Port Alberni area.

Since that time there has been various unconfirmed sightings of PETTERSON at various locations on Vancouver Island. Nothing has been confirmed by police, however, and to this day his file remains an open missing person case.

Investigators from the Surrey RCMP and police detachments on Vancouver Island have been engaged in this file from the onset. Numerous interviews have been done with friends, families, and associates, along with checks with government and financial institutions all to no avail.

Donald A PETTERSON was born on April 23rd, 1939. He was married to his wife Patricia PETTERSON for over 30 years and they had 3 children together, Donna, Lisa, and Chad. Donald worked for Overwaitea Foods and was three years away from a full retirement package. According to his family, Donald was a devoted husband and very much involved in the lives of his grandchildren and would never have intentionally left the family. There is no history of depression or suicidal tendencies. At the time of disappearance he was described as a Caucasian male, 5’11, 178 lbs, with a light complexion, brown hair, and blue eyes. He would now be 74 years old.

Contact Information
If anyone has any information related to this missing person they are asked to contact the Surrey RCMP Missing Persons Unit by e-mail or through our non-emergency number at 604-599-0502.

If you wish to remain anonymous, please call Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

 

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Vancouver Island Free Daily
CHEK News

 

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Police Reopen Longtime Missing Man's Case
09/24/2013 04:21 EDT | Updated 11/24/2013 05:12 EST

His family says he was a devoted husband and grandfather, he has no history of depression or suicidal tendencies, and he would never have intentionally left his family.

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Police say Petterson's wife of more than 30 years died two years ago, not knowing what happened to her husband.

 

[YaYa_521]

‘Is he still alive?’ - Surrey Now-Leader

Chad Petterson thinks his dad may have been robbed on the island and put up a fight.

The elder
Petterson had money, and wore jewelry, which Chad thinks might have attracted a bad element.