'A story of tragedy': Vigil held Sunday for Beaumont mother Treasa Oberly

A Beaumont woman is being remembered as a kind, sensitive person and a devoted mother.

Dozens of supporters gathered outside a Beaumont church Sunday at a vigil for 40-year-old Treasa Lynn Oberly, who was allegedly killed by her boyfriend in July.

"I think that the family's biggest thing that they want remembered would be her purest of hearts, her kindness for all, her sensitivity to tragedies of others, her love for animals and the utmost love for her son," said family friend Tracey McCleave.

Oberly's family all live in the U.S., and financial barriers have delayed them in being able to travel to Canada after her death. It left them feeling hopeless, McCleave said.

She's hopeful the family will be able to travel soon, she added, and in the meantime donations were collected at the event to help Oberly's three-year-old son Tyler.

"Those are for things that he currently needs, and to keep his little life as happy as possible until his grandparents come," McCleave said.

"There's going to be a long road ahead for this family, they're excited to reunite themselves with Tyler," she added. "But there's also another side to this, and that's the legalities of what's going to take place for Tyler's future."

A GoFundMe to help the family with travel costs and future legal fees had raised more than $8,700 dollars as of Sunday afternoon.

Sunday, donations were collected at a vigil for Treasa Lynn Oberly, who was killed in July. The money will go to supporting her three-year-old son until he can be reunited with family. (Brandon Lynch/CTV News Edmonton)Despite not being able to attend, McCleave said the family asked her to hold the vigil and bring the community together to celebrate Oberly's life.

It's too common to hear stories like Oberly's, she added, and the family also want her death to raise awareness around intimate partner violence and the need for more help for people living through it.

"And when the individuals are charged with domestic violence, get the court system to follow through," McCleave said. "The court system didn't follow through with Kenneth, and it resulted in the death of Treasa.

"So, that is an extremely, extremely important thing for the family. Let's start talking about domestic violence again, let's start making a table conversation with our families, our children."

Court records show Kenneth Skelly was accused of assaulting Oberly in 2020, but those charges were later stayed.

The Rise Up Society of Alberta was in attendance, offering resources on intimate partner violence.

Oberly was last seen on July 14. Ten days after she went missing, she was found dead.

Her death has been ruled a homicide, and RCMP have charged her 43-year-old boyfriend Kenneth Skelly with second-degree murder.

His father, 69-year-old Joseph Donald Skelly has been charged with causing indignity to a dead body in relation to the case. 

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Sean Amato