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Published: November 2nd 2005
Florida
After our return from South Africa we spent the Winter at Indian Harbor Beach, Florida with Miranda's parents. I had been offered two parishes: one in Kingston, Jamaica; the other in Peachland, B.C.—
March 31st 1998 St Margaret's Anglican Church Of course, as we traveled to St. Margaret's, Peachland we had no idea what was awaiting us. We were just thankful that after our adventures in South Africa we were heading to a peaceful little town. When we entered the Okanagan Valley it was shrouded in
smoke...a black haze enveloping the green paradise I had been promising my lovely wife. With temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius and unbreathable air, it was proving to be more like the nether regions of Hell. With a waver in her normally firm voice, Miranda asked, "Did we take the correct turn at Kelowna? This can't be
Peachland can it??"
I was shocked by the change since my job interview one month earlier. It was obvious to me that something was drastically wrong. As we met up with the people who would be showing us around, our fears were somewhat reduced. There was a large forest fire just outside the city of Penticton, and the whole lake was being affected.
After a few days, the air cleared and we began to see the true beauty of Peachland. We
Peachland BC
Getting ready to leave for Peachland. (Summer 1994 FotoetimePhoto CR) had bought ourselves a new Toyota in "Sea-foam" (a teal color that Miranda insisted upon) and I drove around, showing her the sights. The town was situated on the
shore of Lake Okanagan, with parkland stretching almost all the way along the waterfront. Rising up from both sides of the lake were mountains. Many of the houses in Peachland were built on the sides of the hills overlooking the lake. The beauty was overwhelming.
At the top of one of the hills was the Golf Course, amidst towering Ponderosa pines. It was a favorite place for lunch, dinner or drinks with glorious views of the lake. Although the climate was semi-desert, Peachland was green and lush. We soon learned that some of the best wines in the world were being bottled in this part of British Columbia.
The town "center" was located on the flat part of Peachland along the water. The main street, Beach Avenue, was lined by picturesque stores, churches and restaurants. In summer, things were bustling. The businesses catering to tourists were up and running: the
marina was packed and so were the many restaurants and boutiques along Beach Avenue. At the other end of
Peachland, British Columbia
The town of Peachland from above! town, people filled the camp grounds and trailer parks. The long beach was perpetually crowded.
When you looked out onto the lake, you saw Rattlesnake Island, a mysterious place with a number of stories told about it. Our favorite was the Ogopogo legend (a sea monster that calls Lake Okanagan home). When at the beach, we kept our eyes open for tell-tale large splashes or unusual shapes in the water.
Thanks to our friendly congregation and our amazing surroundings, Peachland soon began to feel like
home. Four Bears
Life was good, better that good: great! The parishioners invited us into their homes, wining and dining us in royal fashion. One such family lived opposite St Margaret's Anglican Church. Their son joined the upcoming confirmation class. Henrietta joined the Anglican Church Women while her husband F.B. ("Four Bears" was his Indian name) played an active role in the "men's breakfast".
F.B. was a big man, strong, over 6'3" tall and 350 lbs. His story was an interesting one. He told us that as a young man he had ridden with biker gangs, and was involved in drugs. However, God had come into his life and
Welcome to Peachland!
List of businesses and services as you enter the community. he had given up drugs, liquor and his former life. He had met his wife, while on BC's Lower Mainland. They married and came to Peachland to start a new life.
Although Henrietta and his son were Anglican, F.B. -- who described himself as half Cree and half Norwegian -- was a pipe-carrier for the Native community. He had a strong grounding in native spirituality.
S.W.A.T.
My memories of those early days with F.B. are good. He cooked a great steak and salmon, took us out in his boat and had a super sports car. F.B. was an interesting man with a delightful sense of humor and the gift of the gab.
Any of the "danger" signals I picked up on I explained away by the fact that he had had a difficult life. I have to honestly confess that I liked F.B. and always enjoyed his company.
All that changed very suddenly. Ten officers in full body armor descended upon F.B. He was arrested and charged with numerous counts of homicide including murdering his former minister!
R.C.M.P.
Our doorbell rang. Miranda went to answer it. Standing on our
porch were two homicide detectives. Miranda invited them in.
After carefully checking their credentials I told them to take a seat. By this time, there were only two charges of homicide against F.B. The first alleged that he had killed a Rev. John Taylor with a gunshot to the head. The second was that he had run over a man with a truck. I carefully answered their questions, keeping in mind my duty of confidentiality. After about half an hour they asked me to fill out a form regarding F.B.'s application for bail. I did so honestly. I believed that F.B. would be a serious flight risk and a danger to the Crown's witnesses. As a result, he was denied bail and kept in jail for over a year. The preliminary inquiry was set for March.
Port Coquitlam Provincial Court - March 22
As I walked into the court room, F.B. was staring at me. He was in a wheelchair with his leg in a cast. He had lost a lot of weight. He was not a happy man. I was not much help to the Crown's case, as the principle of "priest-penitent" kept getting in
Induction ceremony
Bryan and the Archbishop. the way. At the end of the preliminary inquiry, the Crown Attorney decided to stay the proceedings for lack of evidence and released F.B.
A Telephone Call
It was just after lunch on Thanksgiving Day when I heard the phone ring. As I picked up the receiver, I heard an unhappy F.B. at the other end of the line. The conversation went as follows:
F.B: Hello Porter, it's F.B.
Bryan: It's been a long time.
F.B: That's right. It seems even longer when you are in (expletive deleted) jail.
Bryan: I guess jail is not much fun.
It was at this point that F.B. lost it. There were numerous expletives that affirmed that jail was not fun. He made threats against me. I hung up on him.
I was shaken. I also felt my life was at risk. I went straight to the R.C.M.P. headquarters. F.B. was again arrested. He was charged with threatening a witness in a murder trial.
Mountie Humor
This time they released F.B. pending the trial. However, there was a restraining order against him. The mounties gave me a "panic button," which I was
People arriving for Church, Sunday morning, Spring 1995
Stan & Miriam (Greeters standing by the entrance)
Seated L to R: Edward, Nellie, Jenn, Christina, Hazel, Leif, Joyce, Dennis, Judy, Clair, Mrs Stackhouse, Les, Ken, Marjorie, Stella, Pat, Wally, Gordon, Gale, Stephanie, Angel, Kala Jon, Sue, Sylvia, Erma, FB, Betty, Leanne, Roberta, Margot Cheryl, Doug, Sherron, Nick, Ben, Dorthy
to press in case he showed up. The mounties also installed a hidden camera behind a plant in our house. Although it recorded it had no outside connection. I asked the officer what good the camera would be. He replied, "If F.B. kills another Reverend, this time we will get him for sure." Then he smiled and said that this was an example of "Mountie" humor.
A Midsummer's Night Dream/Nightmare
Peachland has vineyards, beautiful hiking trails and wonderful people. Summer lasts from the beginning of March to the middle of October. This is quite remarkable when you think that it is many kilometers north of the 49th parallel. The people are friendly but laid back, as they sip their vintage wine and mingle with the tourists.
It was about 3 AM on a midsummer night when Miranda woke me up. Light -- red, blue, white -- flashed upon our bedroom ceiling and lit up the room. It was like an alien abduction. Miranda suggested I investigate.
I slowly walked down the stairs, headed to the front door and gingerly opened it. What I saw terrified me. I could not believe my eyes: guns, lots of
Paradise
Bryan and Miranda (Spring 1995 FotoetimePhoto CR) guns, pointed at me. The police told me to put my hands on my head and step away from the door.
Then I was asked if there was anyone else in the house. I told them that my wife was upstairs in bed. The Mounties took me to the back seat of a patrol car.
"What is going on?" I asked.
They told me that the panic alarm had gone off and they had to make sure that F.B. was not in the house, with me as prisoner.
After a thorough search they replaced the defective panic button and I returned to bed. Miranda was already asleep.
Links:
Local charged in 10-year-old double murder Double Murder suspect still in custody Murder charge
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non-member comment
Peachaland
A great place to visit!!!!!!