Melanie was born and raised in Prince Albert Saskatchewan, the youngest child of Peter and Shirley Dyck’s four children. Her growing up years included time spent with family on her grandparents’ farm, taking part in all sorts of church activities, trips to the lakes or out to BC to see family, playing with friends, and bringing home any stray animal she found, including a duck named Waddles. She learned to crochet, knit, play piano and bake, all activities that she continued to do the rest of her life. She did well in school and would often spend many hours working on homework, earning high grades and developing a love for learning.

After graduation, Melanie took a few years off and then headed to Olds College, where she earned her floral design certificate in 1991. Soon after that she headed west and made her home in the greater Vancouver area, including in Richmond, Vancouver and New Westminster over the next 30 years.

Melanie worked at a number of jobs during her time on the coast, however it was in her last place of work that she finally found her niche. She worked as a home care provider for seniors, and she loved every minute she spent with her clients. They became like family to her, and she had found a true joy in caring for them.

In 2017, Melanie joined the church choir at Gracepoint Community Church in Surrey, at the suggestion of her cousin. From there she became part of the church family by joining a small group, working through and eventually becoming a leader for the Freedom Sessions, and choosing to be baptized on Easter Sunday 2019. Melanie rediscovered her faith and loved to spend time reading her Bible, sharing verses and insights with her mother over the phone and being with her small group.

In early 2021, Melanie was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a disease that slowly took her independence as it limited her mobility in the early stages. Melanie moved into Evergreen Baptist Care Home in April 2022 and quickly became someone who brought joy to the others living and working on the fifth floor. She made friends with many of the people on her floor, and she loved to joke with her table mates at meals, listen to music and play ‘name that song’, and visit with the many friends and family that came to see her, as well as the visitor for the other people on the floor as well. She never said no to someone offering to tour her around in her wheelchair, or to bring her a vanilla latte.

Melanie lost the ability to use her hands and her voice as the disease progressed, but she did not lose her memories, her quick mind or her sense of humour. Her visitors were creative in finding ways to keep her engaged and active, including reading to her, playing games, and having tea or coffee while listening to live music in the dining room. She persevered in trying to get her thoughts and ideas across to the people visiting with her for several months, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. At one point, it seemed that she would not be able to communicate again, but this past May, thanks to the determination of some amazing friends, and with the support of CAYA (Communication Assistance for Youth and Adults), technology gave Melanie back her voice, something that we were all grateful for in the last few months of her life.

There is no cure for MSA, and it continued to progress through the summer. Melanie’s body held on as long as it could, allowing her to have one final visit with both her brothers in August, where she was able to engage and interact using her tablet. Three weeks after that visit, in the early morning of September 9, 2023, Melanie was released from her physical body and was welcomed into Heaven by Jesus. She was surrounded by family and friends in the hours before, and she left knowing she was deeply and fiercely loved.

We are so grateful for the grace and compassion given to Melanie by the staff of Evergreen in the last few days of Melanie’s life, especially the nurses and care aides on the fifth floor. Thank you also to Tatjana at CAYA, who persevered to find the right technology for Melanie to regain her voice, and Carolyn at ACCESS therapies, who helped with seating, positioning and advocating for her the last few months.

Melanie loved cats and dogs and iced vanilla lattes (actually, she loved coffee in any form, as long as it was good coffee!). She loved to cook and bake, knit and crochet, make jewelry and candles, paint and sketch, and then share the end results of all of those talents with people she loved. She loved to wear hats and scarves and beautiful necklaces and unique coats. She loved gardens, flowers and plants of any sort. She could be wickedly funny one minute and then deeply thoughtful the next. She was fiercely private and very strong willed, which made for some interesting conversations at times, especially if your opinion was different than hers. She loved, and was loved by so many people and we will miss her, even though we know we will see her again.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” John 11:25-26a

Melanie is survived by her mother, Shirley Dyck and her three siblings and their families:

Sherri (Jim) McCloy; Ben (Becky) Austin, Dawn-Marie, and Sam, Kelsey and Ryder, Kylie and Sage, and Seth; Kris (Tim) Alcock, Amber, Shaelin and Ethan; Ryan (Rebecca), Ziva and Ezra
Randy (Laura); Danae, Dante, Jensen, Camryn, Calleigh, and Shiloh
Brad (Kim); Katherine (Ethan) Jones and Jonathan

Aunts and Uncles: Bob and Evelyn Dubray, Deloros Chipurda, Anne Turrell, Kathy Dyck, Ethel Dyck, George and Helga Dyck

Numerous cousins both in Saskatchewan and British Columbia
Melanie is predeceased by her father, Peter Dyck, her nephew Stefan Dyck, her niece in law Sebrina McCloy, her paternal and maternal grandparents, as well as several aunts and uncles on both sides.

There will be a celebration of Melanie’s life on Friday, October 20 at 7:00pm at Gracepoint Community Church, 3487 King George Blvd, Surrey.