With hardly a sip of coffee in her system, Shirley Peach popped open social media and was immediately taken back to fond memories shared by her husband of 28 years.
Larry Melnick is a three-time stroke survivor with some physical limitations, whose mind remains strong. He’s told her many stories of the days he was in the Mount Doug High band, a time when they were hugely popular and competitive. The Saanich school was particularly strong. The 1960s lineup that included Larry also boasted David Foster on the roster.
It took a little time to decipher, and truly believe, the online message from Stefanie Paige, someone she doesn’t know. But it was followed up by a link to a Facebook post from Paige and then the story appeared in her morning newsletters. The Saanich woman subscribes to two communities where she has ties, Oak Bay News and Peninsula News Review.
Paige reached out on Facebook after making a post that hundreds of people saw, and dozens spent time researching.
Two weeks into the empty nest phase after her son moved out, Paige started clearing out shelves when she came across a small box nearly forgotten on a shelf. The Victoria woman remembered it was unusual enough to shelve and not toss in November 2023 after finding it in an old china cabinet – a big, heavy, brown piece with broken glass she got for free from an estate sale.“As I was taking out all the drawers I found this little black box. In it was this little folded note,” Paige told the Victoria News.
She put it on a shelf and went about refinishing the cabinet: “Then I just kind of left it like that.”
Purging Paige was just about to throw the black box, stuffing and note out when she realized, she’d held on to it more than a year, and the person before her, more than five decades.
“I thought ‘I can’t do this.’ I’m meant to find a home for it.”
She shared the hand-written letter, dated May 1968, addressed to Mrs. Melnick with a return address in Princeton, B.C., on Facebook.
“Thank you for billeting me in your home while in Victoria with the band. I appreciated it very much. Hope to see you again someday,” it reads.
The script leaves the signature open to some interpretation but appeared to be from Terry Lindsay.
In a couple of days, online sleuths sourced the 2023 obituary for Lila Melnick and tracked down her daughter-in-law Peach.
Stefanie Paige took a shot and messaged Peach.
“When I read through Stefanie’s message to me this morning I was blown right out into planet Mars and I’d only had a couple sips of coffee, not nearly enough,” Peach told the Victoria News.
The mention of the china cabinet in particular took her back to her mother-in-law’s, she immediately pictured it.
She also knew Terry's stories.
The high school bands routinely travelled across the province and the U.S. billeting – staying in households instead of hotels – back and forth.
Terry stayed at the Melnick home in Victoria, Larry stayed at Terry’s family’s ranch in Princeton.
“His memories of being up in Princeton are some of his best,” Peach said. “That was the first time Larry rode a horse.”
Turns out, Paige’s inclination to find the right home for the note was spot on. Peach plans to go frame shopping.
“That set of memories from Larry’s high school life is very precious to him,” Peach said, noting her soon-to-be 73-year-old husband was a member of the “best era” of the strong Mount Doug band.
“They were winning everything in sight. Not just within B.C. but in the States too,” she said. Along the way they billeted in places such as Idaho and Washington, learning about each place while staying in other people’s homes.
“These band kids would run into each other again and again. He formed a really good friendship with that guy,” Peach said.
Staring down 73 this year, Larry has lost touch with Terry over the decades.
Both women figure, perhaps, he too will turn up in what both feel is Lila bringing them together.
“I really feel like maybe Lila had something to do with it,” Paige said. “Maybe spiritually she came through.”
It’s certainly a sentiment shared by Peach, who sees Lila in things on occasion in her life.
“This is her way of having a bit of fun with us, which has just brought me to tears.”
