Hope has turned into heartache – the tough reality Phoenix Dyer has faced this year.
Her mom, Wanda, vanished months ago on March 21 from her Lawrence home. Police said Wanda, standing at 5’2’’ with a slender frame, was last seen with a backpack and wearing a black coat with pink lining.
“My mom had left my dad a note saying she was going to go pay a bill,” she shared. “So, she went to the bank, but my mom doesn’t have any of her bank cards with her because she kept losing them because she started to develop dementia. Within a few months, it seems like it was just getting worse. And so, the plan was to eventually put her into a nursing home in August when my parents’ lease was up.”
Wanda never made it back home by August. She never made it back at all.
“There was a couple of times I almost dialed her number because I wanted to speak to her, and then I realized she’s not around,” Phoenix shared, saying she’d speak with her mom three times a day on the phone. “So, you know, that’s tough. It’s been tough.”
“It’s just it’s heartbreaking because I don’t even know if I can feel my mother,” she continued. I just so sad all the time because I miss her so much. There’s things I want to tell her every day. and she’s not around, and I just don’t know. I think the worst sometimes, but I’m trying to stay positive.”
As the time passes, it deflates the family’s optimism. In the beginning of the investigation, there was a lot of public interest to find Wanda.
“We haven’t heard of anything lately,” Phoenix said. “It’s been months since we’ve had a lead. The search teams did as much as they could.”
There were some community-lead efforts, including one with Equusearch Midwest, where dozens of people came together to look for Wanda with the specialized search group. Some of its leaders are known for being a part of national efforts, like the search for Caylee Anthony in Orlando, Fla., and Lucas Hernandez in Wichita, Kan.
They focused on areas like De Soto, Eudora and Kansas City – places she’s believed to have been seen or has connections to. Family and career kept Wanda in northeast Kansas, including a career as a librarian for more than 30 years at Watson Library at the University of Kansas and the Kansas City Public Library.
Now as the weeks have turned into months without seeing Wanda, loved ones hope to get answers. Wanda recently missed celebrating her 75th birthday with family. Phoenix knows this season will be hard without her sharp, funny mom there.
“It’s just heartbreaking because my mom loves holidays,” Phoenix said. “You know, she’s born a couple of days before Halloween, so that’s always been kind of fun. My mom’s very big on Christmas. We’d have like Christmas dinners and Thanksgiving dinners at her place. I just…I’ll do something with my dad, but it’s not going to be the same.”
Today, Phoenix said the best gift she, her dad and brother could have is closure.
“I would just like to say thank you to everyone who’s helped search this far,” she said. “All I’m asking is, please, if you’ve got the time, look for Wanda. I mean, it’s not over yet. We still need to find her, and I want to say I appreciate everybody’s help that’s helped this far. Thank you.
HAVE A TIP IN THE CASE?
Anyone with information about Wanda Dyer’s whereabouts is act to contact dispatchers with Douglas County at (785) 843-0250.
ACTIVE SILVER ALERTS
As of this month, in the State of Kansas, there are about 450 active missing persons cases. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation confirms six active Silver Alerts in the state. Wanda Dyer’s is the most recent case opened. Here are the active cases:
- Wanda Dyer – Lawrence, last seen March 21, 2025
- Mary and Billie Black – Atchison, Sept. 11, 2009
- Wilfred Powell – Kansas City, Dec. 10, 2023
- Floreanne Mayfield – Kansas City, Nov. 20, 2016
- Donald Lee Walters – Great Bend, July 7, 2020
If you have a tip on an active case, you can share information by clicking here or by calling (785) 785-296-4017.