Nicholas "Nick" Melnechuk

At 0100 hrs, on the 28th of December, in the year of our Lord, 2020, Sgt. Nikolay (Nicholas) Melnechuk, RCAF (Ret.), husband to Thelma Melnechuk (Stock), father of Anthony John “Tony” Melnechuk and Timothy “Tim” Melnechuk, Grandfather of Nicholas “Nick” Melnechuk, passed on peacefully in his sleep to be with his beloved wife, Thelma.

Nick is survived by two brothers and two sisters:

Anne (Melnechuk) Sommers, born on the 26th of April 1924 in the town of foam Lake, Saskatchewan.

Peter “Pete” Melnechuk, born on the 21st of April 1931 in the town of Wynyard, Saskatchewan.

Irene (Melnechuk) Myrah, born on the 12th of August 1935 in Wynyard, Saskatchewan

Terry Melnechuk, born on the 21st of November 1940 in the town of Barford, Saskatchewan.

Nicholas (Nick) was born at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan on July 23rd, 1922 to Gora “George” Melnechuk and Mary Melnechuk (Kostaschuck). Nick grew up in the Foam Lake area of Saskatchewan, hunting and fishing to help put food on the table, with the family finally settling down in Melfort, Saskatchewan.

Nick enlisted with the RCAF on November 10th, 1942 and was stationed in London, at various medical facilities, during WWII.  In 1945, Nick was on duty with an ambulance detachment at Buckingham Palace where he met Queen Elizabeth II. After being honorably released on February 4th, 1946, Nick went to Lacombe Alberta to play hockey for the Lacombe Buffaloes hockey team while he worked at the Lacombe Dairy, delivering milk. Nick met Thelma Mae Stock at the Corner Café in Lacombe and they were married on August 24th, 1947.

On the 21st of July 1951, at the age of 29, Nick re-enlisted with the RCAF and was stationed at CFB Rockcliffe. From here, Nick and Thelma were transferred to CFB Halifax, where they adopted their first son, Tony. Then on the 9th of August 1955, Nick was transferred to CFB Aylmer and then on to CFB Penhold on the 1st of May 1956. While here, Thelma and Tony lived with Thelma’s mom and dad in Lacombe. On the 18th of July 1957 Nick was transferred to CFB Aylmer, while Thelma and Tony stayed in Lacombe. With Nick in Ontario and Thelma in Alberta, on the 20th of November 1957 they adopted their second son, Tim.

On the 1st of July 1958, Nick was transferred to RCAF Station Senneterre. While here, Nick was leader of the Ground Search Party. In the winter of 1960, Nick, along with 3 others, tested the first Ski-Doo while on cold weather search and rescue training north of Senneterre, Quebec.

On the 1st of September 1961 Nick was transferred to CFB St. Hubert and then on to CFB Puntzi Mountain on the 6th of January 1964. While here, Nick hunted and fished and designed and built a nine-hole golf course, cut out of the bush. He called it The Frontier golf and Country Club, complete with sand “greens.”

From here, Nick was transferred to the NDMC in Ottawa on the 23rd of December 1966. From here, on the 1st of February 1968, Nick was transferred to CFB Uplands and while stationed here, Nick retired from the RCAF on the 24th of October 1969.

From here, Nick moved to Saskatoon Saskatchewan where he was a pharmaceutical salesman with Riker Pharmaceuticals. From here,

Nick and Thelma moved to Calgary Alberta, Victoria, BC, and then to Westside BC, where he was a candy salesman for Nutty Club Candy.

During retirement Nick and Thelma Snow birded to Yuma Arizona and enjoyed this very much for 23 years.

Nick played hockey until he was 64 years old and golfed until he was 96. Nick loved his sports.

Nick was preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters:

Freddy Melnechuk, 31 August 1928 to 27 September 1982, Edmonton, Alberta.

Kyleen (Melnechuk) Bell, 12 September 1926 to 17 November 1962, Edmonton, Alberta.

William (Bill) Melnechuk, 11 August 1917 to 1 June 1999, Keswick, Ontario.

Alex Melnechuk, 30 November 1915 to 8 November 2007, Macklin Saskatchewan.

Mike Melnechuk, 16 March 1919 to 15 May 2010, Kamloops BC.

Doris (Melnechuk) Ward, 1 May 1921 to 4 august 2010, Kelowna, BC.

Nick is survived by 2 brothers and 2 sisters:

Peter (Pete) Melnechuk

Terry Melnechuk

Anne (Melnechuk) Sommers

Irene (Melnechuk) Myrah

And many nieces and nephews.

A Come and Go Gathering Celebration of Life will be held for Nick at the Lacombe Legion, Branch #79 later, on Saturday, July 23, 2022 from 1-4 pm

In lieu of cards or flowers, please donate to your local youth hockey organization.

Життя піддається смерті

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Nicholas "Nick" Melnechuk, please visit our floral store.