The Mysterious Disappearance of Noreen Anne Greenley
Noreen Anne Greenley was described by family as a “vibrant” 13-year-old living in Bowmanville, Ontario in 1963.
She enjoyed baseball, skating, bowling, horseback riding and baking. She worked at a gas station. She was the third of seven children and loved her family.
After leaving her friend’s house to catch a bus, however, one May evening, she would never be seen again.
Noreen Anne Greenley was born May 16, 1950. She was the third of seven children to Harvey and Nadine Greenley.
On the evening of September 14, 1963, Noreen was visiting her best friend Bonnie Wilkin’s as well as Bonnie’s boyfriend Gary Woolner. The three went bowling at Liberty Bowl in Bowmanville, and went to Sam’s diner later that night. They later returned to Bonnie’s house, where Noreen left to catch the 11:30 bus back to Maple Grove after Bonnie said she wanted some “alone time” with Gary. She apparently went back to speak with Bonnie once more, before leaving again to catch the bus.
After leaving Bonnie’s house, she never boarded the bus and was never seen again.
A neighbour reportedly witnessed a young girl that night get into a small blue 1957–1959 Ford Prefect. The car was in good condition although the only feature known of the driver is that he wore a black hat.
That same evening, Noreen’s sister Joyce was on a walk with friends when a car sped past, almost hitting them. Joyce heard a scream, which she later believed to be Noreen. Their father and older brother chased after the car, but were unable to find it.
A massive search ensued to find Noreen, with no results. Then-Bowmanville mayor Ivan Hobbs even pledged a $1000 reward for information on Noreen’s whereabouts.
In 1964, Noreen was reportedly seen in the Mount Royal area of Calgary, “working as a domestic”. The search continued there, with Noreen’s parents flying to Calgary in hopes of finding their daughter.
While the case was reopened by homicide investigators in 2005, no new leads have emerged.
Today, her siblings believe she may have known her abductor from her work at the gas bar. Noreen’s brother Mark, who was only three years old at the time of her disappearance believes his sister was “abducted, raped and brutally murdered- beaten to death.” He believes that she is buried somewhere within a 30-mile radius of Bowmanville.
In October 2018, Durham authorities excavated a portion of land near Regional Road 57 after an earlier tip from a man who claimed that his father had admitted to killing Noreen and hiding her body in a car he buried near the road in 1963.
However, the excavation, digging trenches 150x7 ft and 100x7 ft, followed by the use of metal detectors, found no new evidence in the case.
Today, Noreen’s siblings hope they can find some closure in the disappearance of their sister.
The family has created a blog in which they share the details of the case and collect donations to hire a private investigator. They also have various Facebook pages to keep her story alive.
Noreen Anne Greenley was 5' 0" with brown eyes and brown hair. She was 99lbs and last seen around 11 pm on September 14, 1963. Anyone with information should contact Durham Regional Police: 1 (888) 579–1520, Crimestoppers: 1 (800) 222 TIPS [8477], or MissingKids.ca 1 (866) KID TIPS [543–8477]
