Much like the police who continued to search for her killer, a group of former classmates have not forgotten Donna Proian.
The former Estevan women, who was murdered in 1981, was in the national spotlight earlier this month when Toronto Police announced they had found her murderer after 30 years of investigation. As the story broke, it was also learned that the former Donna Pardun, is buried in the Estevan City Cemetery in an unmarked grave.
While happy to learn that Proian's murderer had been caught, some of her former classmates at the Estevan Collegiate Institute were heartbroken when they discovered she was buried in an unmarked grave. The group of former Estevan residents, who have asked to remain anonymous, jumped to action and have purchased a headstone which will be placed at Proian's gravesite.
"We've wondered about (her murder) for 30 years," said the former classmate. "I never dreamed in my whole life that I would see the end of it, it's so wonderful. It's not that I was a great chum of Donna's or anything, I knew her, we chatted and visited. The thing that truly drove a knife into my heart over this was the business of the unmarked grave."
After learning of the unmarked grave, the caller contacted Remco Memorials in Regina and thanks to the help of that company and other classmates, a headstone will be placed in the spring.
"We were all very concerned about this unmarked grave. Remco gave us an incredible deal so that was very nice too."
Proian was raised in Estevan and after graduating high school she studied French at university in Regina. She later moved to France where she met her husband Charles. The couple later returned to Canada and resided for a time in Regina before settling in Toronto where Donna worked at the University of Toronto until she was murdered. Toronto Police allege that Ernest Westergard, who was Proian's neighbour, is responsible for her death. Westergard is already in prison for a murder charge in the 1990s.
"I knew her here in Regina and I remember her telling me the whole story about going to France and I thought she was so brave. The irony is she goes to France by herself, which is brave, but she gets murdered in her own home by her neighbour."
The caller said Proian was a nice person who was quiet around people she didn't know.
"She had lots of friends and she had the most beautiful red hair. She was kind of pretty, a tiny little girl though, very slightly built. That attacker would have just overwhelmed her.
"I think she was a happy girl and she must have had real guts."
The caller said the headstone will be a simple marker with Proian's name and maiden name. It will also include an ECI logo and the years she attended the school.
