By Venita Fritz

Tribune-Courier General Manager

vfritz@tribunecourier.com

BENTON – When Hilda and Charles Jackson left their Lone Oak home last Thursday morning they were only going to the neighborhood grocery store. After several hours of driving they ended up almost 100 miles from home, however, in Huntingdon, Tenn.

The Jackson’s, both 87 years-old, became disoriented when they left Aldi’s in Paducah, which wasn’t their original destination according to their son, Eddie Jackson. He said his parents were headed out to a grocery store they’ve been taken to in Lone Oak since living in Paducah and ended up instead at Aldi’s

“This was the first time they had driven since we moved them to Paducah recently,” said Jackson. Instead of calling us to say they were lost, they just kept on driving for several hours. Huntingdon is not an easy place to get to, there are lots of two lane roads, so we don’t really know exactly why their route took them there.”

Jackson reported his parents missing early Thursday afternoon when they didn’t return home and a Golden Alert was issued by the Paducah Police Department.

The Jackson’s checked into a Heritage Inn in Huntingdon, where they spent the night on Thursday and drove to Benton Friday morning. When they returned to Benton they went to the offices of Peel and Holland, from where Charles was retired. Friends there called his family to alert him they were safe.

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department went to their former home on Merrywood Drive in Benton and stayed with them until family could arrive at around 1:00 p.m. Friday.

“It’s been difficult for everyone,” said Jackson. “We moved them here to help keep an eye on them. We’ve had to make some difficult decisions.”