Obituary of Melvyn Brocklebank

Melvyn Campbell Brocklebank passed away on Wednesday December 4th, 2013 at Markham Stouffville Hospital in his 92nd year. He was born in Parr, Alberta on July 26th 1922 to his mother Catherine Campbell Brocklebank and father George McLeod Brocklebank both of Kincardine, Ontario. He was pre-deceased by his sister Celia Gordon and his first wife Evelyn. He has a sister Georgina Wilson living in Alberta. He leaves behind his second wife, Mary, his children Dennis, Gayle and Bryan and step-son Norman and their spouses Jill, Danny, Ellen and Judy. He will be greatly missed by his grandchildren Nicole and Sameer, Scott, Geoffrey, Katherine, Sean, Daniel and Rebecca, Amanda and Ryan, Craig and Tara, and great grandchildren Mitchell, Emily, Sophie and Faith. Mel lived in Alberta from the time he was born until 1936 when his family moved to Keady Ontario. Later the family moved to Hepworth and Owen Sound. In 1940 when he was 17 years old young Mel served as a stoker and oiler on the SS Ashcroft and worked on the ship until the summer of 1942. He joined the Canadian Active Army in September 1942. He was a radio operator for 2 years until he took ill from mastoiditis and then streptococcus meningitis and almost died. He was 19 at the time. He was in the hospital for some time. When he recovered he took a course in machine shop in London, Ontario in 1944. In 1945 Mel worked at Russell Brothers Machine Shop and stayed there until he went to work for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1945. He was a telegraph operator and train dispatcher until January 1983. He met his first wife Evelyn Breckow while he was working at the train station in Goderich and they were married November 5th 1949 and moved to Mount Bridges. He was smitten with her because she was the only one of four girls who thanked him when he gave the group a ride to the beach. Mel and Evelyn had three children; Dennis, Gayle and Bryan. Mel and his family moved to Scarborough in 1955 and stayed there raising their family until Mel retired in 1983. They often vacationed in Goderich where Evelyn's extended family lived. Mel also stayed in touch with his sister Celia and her husband Bob and their children Mary and George. His baby sister, Georgina moved to Alberta but he kept in contact with her and her husband John and their children James and Ian as much as he could. After retirement from the CPR Mel secured his license to trade in Real Estate and he worked in this field for about six years. In his spare time he did renovations on several houses. He and Evelyn spent much of their early retirement years at their water access cottage on the South Magnetawan River forty minutes north of Parry Sound. They enjoyed having their friends, children and grandchildren come to the cottage for visits. They also owned a cottage in Haliburton for several years. Mel was on the board of Wilmer Heights United Church for 30 years and served as the treasurer on the board of Wilmer Court Home for Seniors for 10 years. He enjoyed supporting the building program during those years. Mel and Evelyn moved to St. Andrews Presbyterian Church after they purchased a condominium on Bamburgh Circle in Scarborough soon after Mel retired. He was inducted onto the Board of Elders while a member at the church. After Evelyn died of cancer in January 2007, Mel stayed in the condominium for six months before moving into a senior's residence in Pickering. During this time Mel kept attending the St. Andrews Presbyterian Church where he renewed his acquaintance with Mary Bretherton. Her deceased husband Ken and Evelyn had both sang in the choir and Mel and Ken had served on the church session together. Mel and Mary married at the church on October 3rd 2008 with family and friends in attendance. Mary and Mel had five plus wonderful years together. Mel and Mary enjoyed getting to know each other and their families. Mary and Mel were constant companions for each other and they enjoyed every day they had as a married couple. They decided when they married to 'limp into the sunset together'.