CAS Worker Killed

November 3, 2011 permalink

Lennox & Addington CAS worker Rebecca McColman has been killed in a traffic accident. No connection has been shown between her work and the accident — it appears here as a matter of record only. Her career included jobs with three different children's aid societies, but no children of her own.

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Napanee woman killed in Highway 401 crash

By Jim Barber/Napanee Guide, Posted November 3, 2011

Rebecca McColman is being remembered as a lovely, loving, compassionate woman, whose personality and charm garnered her friends everywhere she went.

The 35-year-old Napanee woman was killed when the Toyota Yaris she was driving slammed into the back of a large truck at about 5:25 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to initial reports from the Frontenac OPP, traffic along Highway 401 had been stopped for some reason in the westbound lanes near Westbrook, and McColman slid into the truck, which had stopped.

The westbound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours to allow the OPP's collision reconstruction team to investigate the scene.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

McColman worked for Lennox & Addington Family and Children's Services for the past few years.

Her boss, LAFACS executive director Greg Moon, said her death was "a huge shock and tragic loss to those who had the privilege of knowing Rebecca. We'll feel the loss for some time.

"She was one of our resource workers. Her primary responsibility was recruitment of foster parents, and she just brought in a huge amount of passion to her work," he continued.

"She was full of good ideas and tons of energy to make those good ideas happen. This is somebody who brought a positive atmosphere to their work every day, and she would radiate that positive energy, and others would feed off it."

Moon said she had dedicated her professional life to child welfare. She worked with the Hastings County Children's Aid Society before coming to L&A County, and before that was with the Prince Edward County CAS.

"She had a real heart for it. She lived and breathed the work. A week would hardly go by without Rebecca in my office with an idea about something we might do to get the word out about the need for more foster families, or ways to support the families that we are working with."

Moon said that McColman performed the welcoming prayer at a foster parent recognition event held in town just two weeks ago.

She was a woman of prayer and deep faith, attending Verona Free Methodist Church for a time before moving on to worship with husband Tyler at a Napanee church.

"She was just a joyful person. She was a comfort to everyone around her. She was such a happy-go-lucky person. She was an excellent singer and a lovely girl," said an official with the Verona church who did not want their name published.

She added that McColman was of great comfort to her mom, Kathy Phillips, who lost her husband to cancer last year.

Now she has lost the person who offered her the most comfort.

McColman was the daughter-in-law of Kingston radio station owner Garry 'Big G' McColman, who owns K-Rock, 102.7 The Lake and KIX 93.5.

"It's very sad here. We would eat lunch all the time, and I just worked with Rebecca ... and I met her dad and husband. So, yeah, it's tough," said a co-worker at LAFACS.

"She was a very positive, bubbly person and very well liked."

The McColmans had no children.

Frontenac OPP are continuing to investigate the crash.

Anyone with information is asked to call Const. Gallant at 613-372-1932.

Source: Napanee Guide