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Each year, the Western Territory’s missing persons service works with more than 1,000 new cases, locating approximately 750 persons.
Major Leslie Peacock, missing persons director, and Lydia Fairclough, overseas caseworker, recently met with two sisters who had been reunited after 55 years apart through the Western Territory’s missing persons service.
Five years ago, after her mother died, Christine Pierceall discovered she had a brother and sister who lived in Eng-land. In 1999, Christine contacted The Salvation Army to ask for help in finding them, according to Major Leslie Peacock.
Apparently, Christine came to America as a child with her mother, her half-brother and stepfather. Her mother had married a U.S. serviceman after Christine’s father passed away.
Meanwhile, back in England, her sister Sadie (and half-sister Diane, who she had not been told about) were brought up by their grandmother; after she died, they were put in an orphanage and later lived with foster families.
Sadie had known of Christine, but never knew why their mother left her and her sister behind.
In July of 2000, The Salvation Army’s London office found Sadie, who was thrilled to finally find her sister. Sadie informed our London office that Christine has another half-sister, Diane who lives in England. However, the London office found a death certificate for Dennis, who died at around two-months-old.
In November 2000 Christine went to England to meet her sisters Sadie and Diane. While there, they had a family re-union with 16 family members. Christine was so thrilled, and said she “looks very much like other family members.”
While in England, the local newspaper interviewed the sisters and published their re-union story. Betty Rowland and Ronald Weatherby happened to read that newspaper, and were shocked to find the nieces they had been trying for several years to locate. The newspaper ran another story on the family.
This search has resulted in the reunion of many family members, completed by Sadie’s coming to America to meet Christine’s family.