Mel Gascoyne

Melvyn (Mel) Gascoyne, 69, of Canmore, AB, passed away gently and peacefully with his wife Sim by his side, towards midnight on Saturday July 14. He was lovingly surrounded by his sons and daughters-in-law earlier that day. Mel had been suffering courageously and with dignity from Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body-type dementia for many years and, for the past 2.5 years, was lovingly cared for in Morningstar House at Origin at Spring Creek in Canmore AB.

Mel was a dearly beloved and very loving husband, best friend and soul mate to Sim, his wife of 37 years and the best father in the world to sons Owen (Lindsay Easton) and Trevor (Katie Sheppard). He also leaves his sister Linda Gascoyne (Maurice McIllraith) in the UK and sisters-in-law Karen Stroes (Jan, Marijn and Suzan Stemerdink) and Nike Stroes in Holland and brother-in-law Adalgar Stroes (Alex) in the USA. Mel was predeceased by his parents Sidney and Alice Gascoyne and his parents-in-law Karel and Janny Stroes. Also surviving are several cousins in the UK.

Mel was born in Blackpool, UK, on September 5, 1948. From a young age he liked classical music, fishing and classic cars, especially Jaguars. He obtained a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a M.Sc. in Environmental Chemistry from Lancaster University, UK, and a Ph.D. in Geology from McMaster University, Hamilton, ON. In his first year at Lancaster University Mel came across a poster from the Lancaster University Caving Club that invited anyone "long and thin and covered in skin" to come explore with them. Being both very tall and lanky, he joined and that was the start of an adventurous period of cave explorations all over the world (UK, Mexico, Venezuela, France, Spain, Canada, USA). This led to his Ph.D. research on cave science and many publications on paleoclimate derived from speleothem records, using uranium series and other dating methods. To this day, these papers are still read and quoted.

Mel met Sim at McMaster University in 1977 and they were married in 1980 in Dundas, ON. Between 1977 and 1982 they had many adventures related to cave exploration and spent much time canoeing, fishing, hiking and skiing in Algonquin Park. In 1982, Mel and Sim moved to Pinawa, MB, where they started careers with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in the field of high level nuclear waste disposal. Mel studied the geochemistry of groundwaters in stable granitic formations of the Canadian and Fennoscandian Shields and applied his knowledge of uranium series dating and stable isotopes to determine the age and composition of these groundwaters, again resulting in many reports and published papers. Mel was a wonderful mentor to younger scientists and his large body of work is still relevant and used today by those who have carried on this work.

In 1985 and 1987, respectively, Mel became the proud and loving father of two sons, Owen and Trevor. He taught them many useful skills, such as repairing cars (especially Mel's beloved Jaguars), chopping wood, building sheds, riding snowmobiles, fishing, hiking and home brewing. As a family, they travelled extensively in Canada, the USA, Europe (e.g., UK, Holland, Norway, Italy), Australia and New Zealand with favorites being frequent hiking trips in the Canadian Rockies, in the Lake District in the UK, and road trips in the USA. He and Sim often brought the boys along to scientific conferences, a particularly memorable one in Melbourne, Australia in 2006. In 1999 Mel took an early retirement from AECL and became a successful and respected consultant to various nuclear waste management organisations in Europe, Canada and the USA. In those years he worked from home and became keenly involved in the boys' hockey games, as time keeper and driver. The boys remember those years by the huge amount of data base searching, graphing and reference checking they did for their dad and how he paid them well enough to afford their own ramshackle snowmobiles and cars.

Also in 1999, Sim and Mel bought their first condo in Canmore, the start of spending many holidays and long weekends in their beloved mountains, always commuting the long trip from Pinawa in 16 hours or less. While on a hike to Lake Agnes in the fall of 2005, the first symptom of what would be diagnosed as Parkinson's disease in 2009 showed up. Unfortunately this was followed by the onset of Lewy Body-type dementia around 2010. Mel did not let these problems stop him from continuing to work and hike initially, but was eventually forced to retire from work and many other activities once enjoyed. In November 2015 the decision was made to permanently move to Canmore where Mel entered Morningstar House at Origin at Spring Creek in January 2016. It was difficult to say goodbye to Pinawa, home for almost 34 years, and leave behind so many friends, a loving ecumenical church community (the Pinawa Christian Fellowship) and a life time of memories. While Mel's affliction progressed, life continued to be good through the excellent care at Origin, Sims multiple daily visits, music and other programs, many walks along Spring Creek and trips on the Trishaw. Mel's health took a turn for the worse in January 2018 and again a few weeks ago.

Our deepest gratitude is due to all the staff at Origin at Spring Creek who with dedication and love cared for Mel for 2.5 years and excelled in Mel's last days of palliative care. You are truly people with big hearts, incredible skills and patience. We could not have asked for more. Special thanks are also due to Dr.'s Paul and Barrick of Ridgeview Medical Clinic for their dedication to Mel's well-being as well as to the staff at Canmore hospital, the ER and EMS.

Visitation for friends and family was held Sunday, July 22

at Bow River Funeral Service, 1508 Railway Ave, Canmore.

Interment took place at the Canmore Cemetery on Monday,

July 23 at 11:00 am. A Memorial Service was then held at Ralph Connor Memorial United Church in Canmore at 1:00 pm, followed

by a reception at the Mine Shaft Pub in Origin at Spring Creek,

808 Spring Creek Drive.

Friends wishing to remember Mel are encouraged to make donations, in his memory, to the Parkinson's and Alzheimer Societies of Canada or to a charity of one's choice.

Services provided by Russ Reynolds and Bow River Funeral Service.