“Is your name Gary?” Woman looks to find Calgary man who is her half-sister’s biological dad

A Kelowna, BC woman is hoping someone out there might have a clue as to who is her half-sister’s biological father.

Toni Rempel has undertaken a search on behalf of her sister, Bonnie Eklund, placing classified ads across the country asking people, “is your name Gary?”

It features a photo of a petite, young blond woman, holding a girl with straight, blond hair.

Rempel says it was the summer of 1969, when her mother Vernette Eklund met Calgary man “Gary”, who was in Regina on business.

They met at a disco at the Westward Inn, dated for a short time and then nine months later had Bonnie.

Eklund however never told Gary about Bonnie and they don’t have a lot of clues to go on, in hopes of finding her long lost dad.

Gary was blond, in his twenties and lived in Calgary. He was of Polish or Ukrainian descent and had a last name that ended in “ski.”

Eklund was only 21 and worked as a nurse at the Regina General Hospital, Bonnie would later be adopted by her grandparents.

Rempel grew up thinking Bonnie was her aunt, it wasn’t until later that she was told, Bonnie was actually her half-sister.

“We’ve had a very close relationship, I was thrilled that she was my sister because she always felt like more than just my aunt. Bonnie has been talking about who her father is and about finding him for the last 25 years but has never undertaken a search.”

They’ve done a DNA test but never really knew where to start, so they decided to start placing classified ads in papers about a year ago.

“I’ve received lots of emails of encouragement and stories of similar circumstances where people don’t know their fathers and sympathy, and that sort of thing but I haven’t heard from Gary yet,” said Rempel.

She’s hoping Gary might recognize the name Vernette because it’s an uncommon name.

He was likely in his twenties, and may have worked as a pharmacy representative.

“I want Bonnie to be happy and to feel fulfilled,” she said. “She’s wondered and talked about her biological father for 25 years. I’ve asked her what she’s seeking in terms of finding her biological father, she’s not seeking anything significant besides knowing who he is and his history, that sort of thing,” Rempel adds her sister has always felt like something is missing.

Bonnie Eklund is now 45 years old and a successful nurse practitioner in Carlsbad, California.

“It’s a steep hill to climb and because he doesn’t even know, it makes it even harder.”