Witte Sisters
The Witte Sisters—Irene Bliss, Hazel Litterick, and Veera Witte Bonner—were born and raised at Big Creek, BC, the granddaughters of Chilcotin pioneers Tom Hance and Nellie Verdier. Irene and her husband, Bill, ranched at Redstone. Hazel ranched at Big Creek and became a well-known artist who specialized in Chilcotin landscapes in oil, acrylic, and watercolour. Veera and her husband, Jim Bonner, settled at Fletcher Creek where they ranched and raised two children while Veera pursued her lifelong interest in journalism and photography. She became a rural correspondent for the Williams Lake Tribune and over time amassed an extensive collection of material documenting the history and stories of the Chilcotin.