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Show Steinaker women "held" in Phoenix Dear Editor: Recently I was given a copy of your article Historical Highlights on Steinaker Draw about two lovely elderly ladies, Frances and Merele Steinaker. The final paragraph paying tribute to them and their family and their part in settling your valley leads me to feel that people in Vernal may be interested in these women and the terrible plight they are in presently in Phoenix, Arizona. About four weeks ago a cousin contacted con-tacted me about two elderly women who were being "held" by the Public Fiduciary of this county in some low income housing in Phoenix. I visited them a few days later and have never met two lovelier, sharper, more aware elderly women in my life In March 1981 someone turned them in as not keeping a clean house and having sores on their legs and said they weren't going to a medical doctor, when in fact they were being treated by a physician. This social worker harassed them for three months and they refused to let her come in on the advice of their lawyer, until they just forced the door in! By May 14 the Sheriff had picked them up and placed them in the county hospital for five days. At the end of that time a county M D , county psychiatrist, two county social workers and a county appointed attorney at-torney declared they were incompetent to handle their money and must be placed in a state low income housing facility for 90 days. During their time there, their personal physician was never contacted The county doctor requested guardianship (handling their money) and conservatorship, which is handling their personal affairs. At first this was based on the sores on their legs, then when they found they had $2600 in a purse, they went raving They couldn't believe anyone would have that much money in a purse and no one ever asked about the thousands of dollars they had in the bank! The judge at a hearing held in August ruled they were not mentally incompetent, in-competent, so the family was informed they would be allowed to return to their home, but the Fiduciary got the judge in chambers and changed his mind, and unknown to the family until a few weeks ago, took complete guardianship, guar-dianship, not temporary, and none of them will reveal where their personal belongings, etc. are. They have boarded up their home, stored, sold or thrown away their four truck loads of "Junk." The junk included their personal per-sonal papers, genealogy, sterling silver, antique sewing machine, classic car, glass collection and 70 some years of personal and family belongings. We are all aware that your junk may be my treasures. I have never felt so helpless and scared for myself and all adults in the stale of Arizona. Do you realize the implications of the power these people hold over all of us? I have been in contact with family members In Utah and they wish to take Frances and Merele back to Utah to settle and have some peace in their last days. Now we have been told I hoy may not let them go and we have to fight. I would like to see this paper and the people of Vernal help In that fight. A hearing Is being held on November 4 at 9 a.m. Please protest this situation h'fore that time. You may contact me nt 12252 S. Mnndnn St.. Phoenix, Arizona IIT.04 1 or phone W)2 1193 -3WH. Sincerely yours to Justice, TKISIIEK SMITH Phoenix, Ariz. |