It is with great sadness that we announce that long-time Trail doctor, husband, father and friend Alex Tom Melnychuk has passed away on May 13, 2012, 8:00 pm at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, with his family at his side.
Alex was born in Willingdon, Alberta, and grew up in Two Hills, Alberta; the seventh son in a family of eight sons. He earned his medical degree from the University of Alberta. He met his wife Gayle, in Edmonton and they were married in 1970. They welcomed their first daughter, Janis, born in Edmonton, and second daughter Maggie, born in Calgary. Alex and Gayle decided to bring their young family to Trail, and Alex has practiced family medicine here for the past 37 years.
Alex enjoyed Sunday drives to the Pend Oreille, hunting, hockey, bird-watching, reading and gardening. He took great pride in his Waneta property, its gardens, trees, chickens and tranquility. In 1996 Alex was awarded the St. John’s Ambulance National Priory of Canada award for 20 years of community service to the Trail Smoke Eaters Hockey Club as volunteer team doctor.
Alex loved spending time with his family and extended family, especially annual golf trips with his brothers.
He will be greatly missed by his wife of 42 years Gayle, daughters Janis Melnychuk, Maggie (Mike) Balfour, his grandson Alec John Balfour, his six surviving brothers and their families, his colleagues and all of the staff and patients at his clinic, Columbia Family Medicine, Trail Regional Hospital, and all of the other medical facilities that Alex worked at in the Trail area.
Gayle, Janis and Maggie would like to thank Drs. Hii, Falconer and Toews for the wonderful care provided to Alex. Dear thanks also to the caring and professional nurses and staff on 3rd floor medical, and for all of the love and care from Alex’s many colleagues and our friends over that past two very difficult months.
A Celebration of Alex’s life will be planned and announced at a later date. Al Grywacheski of Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services™ has been entrusted with arrangements.
As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made in Alex’s name to the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital Health Foundation at 1200 Hospital Bench, Trail, BC V1R 4M1 or online at www.kbrhhealthfoundation.ca
You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence at the family’s online register at www.myalternatives.ca