MELVIN JOHN HAYNES

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MELVIN JOHN HAYNES Peacefully, on August 7, 2008, at St. Boniface General Hospital, Mel passed away at the age of 91, leaving a large circle of family, friends, and acquaintances who will miss him dearly and remember him fondly. Mel was born on September 21, 1916, in Taber, Alberta, where his family farmed. Mel joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1940 and served overseas during the Second World War until 1945 as a gun fitter. After the war, Mel owned a restaurant in Cardston, Alberta, and also worked as a roughneck in the Alberta oil fields. In 1947, Mel moved to Winnipeg where he was a driver for Winnipeg Transit for 35 years, until his retirement. Mel loved sports and, in his day, he was an avid baseball player, golfer, curler, bowler, square dancer and round dancer. He was also pretty good with a billiards cue, and he loved to play cards, particularly cribbage, Rummoli and poker in recent years with his good friends at Vic Wyatt House. He was a longstanding member of the ANAVETS Fort Garry Unit 60. Mel is survived by his wife Edna; his daughter Deborah Loveday; his stepdaughter Mary-Anne Wilbon; stepsons, Kent Williams and Dano (Katie) Demaré; his sisters, Vera (Bernard) Layton and Rae (Gordon) Stevens, as well as numerous stepgrandchildren and extended family members. He was predeceased by his parents John and Ruth; his sister Frances King; and his brothers, Lynn and Grant. In accordance with Mel's wishes, cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 15, 2008 at Glen Lawn Funeral Home, 455 Lagimodiere Blvd. (south of the Royal Canadian Mint), with Ven. Fletcher Stewart officiating. The family expresses heartfelt thanks to Dr. Joanna Lynch and the staff of St. Boniface Hospital's Family Medicine Unit, as well as the staff of St. Boniface Hospital's Geriatric Day Hospital, and of WRHA's Home Care Services for their kind and compassionate care of Mel. The family also thanks Mel's many friends for their kindness and support. GLEN LAWN FUNERAL HOME 982-7550

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 13, 2008