By Tina Comeau

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com

The family of Howard Newell will gather at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Melbourne on Saturday to remember the six-year-old boy who disappeared 53 years ago.

The little boy – the son of Harold and Loretta Newell – was walking home from a woodlot where members of his family were cutting wood on Saturday, Jan. 22, 1955. He never arrived home and he was never found, despite a massive search involving more than 1,000 people who scoured the woods and waterways looking for the little boy.

The official police conclusion is that the boy drowned. Rumours that have circulated over the decades claim he was hit by a car and his body was later disposed of.

The story of Howard Newell was featured in the May 27 issue of the Yarmouth Vanguard.

Because there had never been a funeral service for the little boy, Howard’s surviving siblings have decided to hold a memorial mass at 11 a.m. on July 5 to share stories about his brief life and to also reminisce about the search. The mass will be followed by a reception at the Melbourne Community Hall where there will be a display of memorabilia pertaining to the little boy.

Many of Howard’s relatives will be attending Saturday’s memorial and reception, along with friends of the family and people who took part in the search. The public is also invited to attend.

A memorial stone for Howard will also be placed in the Melbourne cemetery between the graves of his parents.