After 5 years, Maine man, Claude Van Tassel Found Alive

[bleachedblack]

Thursday, February 15, 2007
After 5 years, Maine man who went missing from Dover store is found

By THOMAS R. KRESSLER

Claude Van Tassel Maine man who disappeared nearly five years ago.

DOVER — Claude Van Tassel doesn't want to come home.

It was nearly five years ago that the well-known auctioneer from Lyman, Maine, and father of 12 went missing while shopping at the Dover Ames store with his wife. Van Tassel told her he was going to get a cup of coffee — and was never heard from again.

Not until last Thursday, when the 71-year-old was found alive and well in Pennsylvania, after being traced through an FBI database. His family, including wife Beatrice, were notified but they are not any closer to having Claude back in their lives.

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[mrs. red]

that has to be one of the saddest stories ... how heartbreaking for the wife. How cruel....

[MsVada]

yes it is.  I remember when this guy went missing.Lyman is very nearby to me.   I can't imagine just walking away from my 12 children and wife.  He had done this before and ended up in a homelss shelter in Iowa.  I wonder if he suffered from any sort of mental ilness.

I guess knowing isnt always enough,  now they want to know the why's

[Sam]

It is a very sad story.

Now I am going to tell you one that is sadder I think. My DH s' MOM and Dad divorced when he was 2. He had 3 sisters, one younger than him.We will call MOM and Dad, Mary and John.

His father, John remarried soon after and had 4 more children, 2 girls 2 boys. While the second wife was in the hospital having given birth to the last child , John disappeared. Car and wallet found but no note no body.

Second wife had to move home with her parents and her 4 children. She did eventually remarry. By this time somehow they knew that the father was still alive but did not know where he was. So she had to go through a divorce before remarrying. John's parents knew where there son was but would not tell. My hubby lost all contact with this family because he was so young he also forgot the names of his half siblings.

John had married again to a Catholic girl and converted to Catholic. Had 4 more children. 3 girls, 1 boy.He raised those but did not tell them about the 8 other children or his first 2 familes.

About 15 years ago we got a call and someone saying they were my hubbies brother. My hubby said he had no brothers but when the guy went on to explain it turned out, he was the oldest son from the second family. We will call him Dan. Except he was confused and thought his was the first family. LOL

Dan had been doing some geneology and his Mom was now dead. He went to the SSecurity office and told them his sad story. One of the gals there did a search and it turned out his father was now dead but they gave him the last known address. So he Looked up the address and his fathers phone number was still listed. He called the number and talked to the son. The son gave him the names of some Uncles. One of the uncles told him about my hubbys family but did not explain that was the first family.
I know real confusing.

The only thing nice is John died alone in a nursing home. 2 children and died alone. Turns out that  Dans Mom had a picture in her personal belonging of my hubby and his sisters. But Dan had thought they were cousins, Not his half siblings. The second family and the first family have all met now and 2 of the third family. The other two girls did not want to meet because they do now want to admit this all happened because their parents marriage would not have been legal. Since the divorce from the second wife had not taken place when John married the 3rd wife in a Catholic ceremony.

Ok enough you get the gist.

[Sam]

Correction here:


The only thing nice is John died alone in a nursing home. 12 children and died alone.

[MsVada]

Amazing how things like that happen.  

I have a friend who had a somewhat similar situation happen to her, and when she and I get together,  she jokes around calling her "father"  uncle dad

[Jacqueline]

This man has a history of running out on his family.

As far as the wife not being able to believe it is him, well that is quite sad.

To put his family in turmoil for 5 years, unforgiveable.

He is just a plain BUM.

[bleachedblack]

One thing is apparent from this story......the FBI doesn't keep all
cases of  persons found a secret . I thought it was their practice to reveal nothing. Apparently they notified this wife that her missing husband was finally found, and then the details.......Are all missing persons cases not created equal?