We all need to pray for the Risher family during this ordeal

What a nightmare the family of rural Linton resident Esther Risher is experiencing this week since the 93-year-old women went missing Tuesday afternoon.

Can you even imagine the confusion, grief and disbelief this family must be going through as the days since her disappearance mount?

Esther was last seen Tuesday afternoon driving her dark green-colored 1993 Buick sedan on North Main Street in Linton heading to her euchre card club with several friends -- a normal routine for this elderly woman.

The vehicle had a license plate that expired on Aug. 31, 2008 with the number 28C5471. The title on the vehicle lists the color as green, however family members have indicated to law officials that the car is actually a "very dark green that almost appears like its black or a dark blue."

Risher is described as 5-2 in height and weighing 124 pounds with gray hair and blue eyes.

Area police agencies have been looking diligently to no avail for Risher, a former registered nurse who is still active as a Pink Lady volunteer at Greene County General Hospital.

She does suffer from mild dementia -- something pretty normal in the aging process and a chronic heart condition.

Family members told me this week that Esther was a frequent driver and pretty spry for her -- regularly driving her car to the grocery, her weekly appointment at the beauty shop and to her card club.

There have been reports that she may have been seen on U.S. 41 not far from Terre Haute and Greene County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Mike Hasler told me on Thursday that his department has received several reports from people who "think they may have seen her."

However, so far any leads have not located Esther.

A newspaper in the Danville, Ill. area -- The Commercial-News -- reported Thursday that authorities believe Esther may have been headed to that region in a confused state when she disappeared.

According to a family member, the newspaper stated, Risher could be headed to Westville, Ill. where she used to live, if she has become confused.

Westville is located on Illinois Route 1/U.S. Route 150 about seven miles south of Interstate 74 and the county seat of Danville.

"Confusion could also lead her to believe family members still live in Danville or Covington, Ind.," the newspaper stated.

As time goes on, the prospect of a happy ending to this terrible ordeal becomes less and less likely.

Sadly, this case reminds me too much of another local missing persons case that I covered from past years that has never been solved.

Eva Hale of Terre Haute was 79 years old when she disappeared on Oct. 15, 1996. She was last seen at the Marco Cemetery in Greene County, where she had reportedly gone to visit the grave of a relative.

Let's all hope and pray as a community that this story turns out better and Esther Risher doesn't join Eva Hale as a cold case that law officials wish they knew what happened.

Our prayers also go out to the families involved. Going through something like this has to be real difficult without the comfort from God's soothing hand.

Any information regarding Risher's whereabouts should be called in to the Greene County Sheriff's Department at 384-441 or the Linton Police Department at 847-4411.

We hope someone saw something that can lead to Esther Risher. Help from the public is often key in solving these kind of missing person cases. The smallest of detail or information could be just what law authorities need to give Esther's family a happy ending to this terrible story.

Nick is the assistant editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or 1-800-947-4487 or by e-mail at schneider.nick@gmail.com or nschneider@gcdailyworld.com .