Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Tuktoyaktuk (Oct 14/02) - An 80-year-old pedestrian died Oct. 5 after she was hit by a pickup truck.

RCMP said the driver of the truck was backing out of a parking spot when she struck Laura Raymond.

The accident happened around 5 p.m. in front of the community radio station.

Raymond was taken to the Tuktoyaktuk health centre, where she died about three hours later as a result of her injuries.

The collision is being treated as accidental and police said they will not be laying charges.

"The driver was backing up and she never saw the pedestrian," said RCMP Const. Yves Gravelle. "It's a very high truck and the person is very small -- 4' 10"."

Raymond's funeral was held Friday afternoon at Kitti Hall.

Lifelong friend Persis Gruben said Raymond grew up at the old Inuvialuit village of Kitigaaryuit and moved to Tuktoyaktuk after her marriage.

In her old age, Raymond remained active and would make dry fish and muktuk with what people gave her.

"She was always nice to people," Gruben said.