Stanley Umpherville Missing Person Case

In the late spring of 1988, a 56-year-old man named Stanley Umpherville vanished without a trace from the waters of Cedar Lake in Manitoba, leaving behind a profound sense of loss and a mystery that has endured for decades. On May 27th, he and a friend began a journey, driving to The Pas, Manitoba, where they spent the night. The following morning, the pair set out from The Pas in a 20-foot yawl, their destination being Easterville. Their journey took them from the Umpherville settlement around 1:00 PM, with a brief stop at Pine Bluff a few hours later. It is believed they also stopped at a friend's trapper's cabin at a location known as Rat Hunting to have a meal before continuing on their way. The last reported sighting of Stanley Umpherville was on May 29, 1988. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as being 68 inches tall, weighing 198 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing blue fishing oiler pants, a grey baseball-style hat with "Hi Ho Hi Ho" on the front, and black rubber boots.

The circumstances leading to Stanley's disappearance are shrouded in the haze of his companion's memory. His friend recounted that the last thing he recalled was seeing the lights of their destination, Easterville, in the distance. Feeling tired, he moved to the front of the boat and fell asleep. When he awoke around 5:00 AM the next morning, he was adrift on the water, and Stanley Umpherville was gone. The boat, which had been their vessel of transport and safety, was now the silent scene of an unexplained disappearance. There was no sign of a struggle, no indication of what might have happened to Stanley in the quiet hours of the early morning.

In the wake of the alarming discovery that Stanley was no longer in the boat, extensive search efforts were launched. Numerous islands and the surrounding shorelines of Cedar Lake were meticulously combed by search parties. Air and water patrols were conducted in the hopes of finding any sign of the missing man. Despite these thorough searches, no trace of Stanley Umpherville was ever found. His whereabouts remain unknown, and his case is an open and unresolved missing person file with the Chemawawin RCMP. The disappearance of Stanley Umpherville left his family and community with unanswered questions and a void that has not been filled. The case serves as a somber reminder of the vast and sometimes perilous nature of the Manitoba landscape and the enduring pain that accompanies the unresolved loss of a loved one.
Last Seen: May 29, 1988

Canada's Missing - RCMP case 2014003382