Born in Victoria, British Columbia
With love & deep sadness, we announce the passing of Dr. Wesley Woychuk, who died peacefully at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, surrounded by family, following a courageous journey with Alzheimer’s disease.
Wes leaves behind his three beloved sons- Lucas, Samuel, & Sebastian Woychuk – who were the greatest joy & pride of his life.
Born to Wilfred & Therese Woychuk, Wes was raised in Victoria & graduated from Mount Douglas Secondary School. From an early age, he was actively involved in sports, playing rep hockey with the Saanich Braves & competing in lacrosse. Wes was also a gifted musician, playing the piano, violin, upright bass, & guitar. His love of music brought him joy & connection throughout his life.
Wes attended medical school at UBC, where he also played varsity hockey for the Thunderbirds. He returned to Victoria for his internship at the RJH, where he was awarded the Silver Medal in Obstetrics. Wes later moved to Kelowna, beginning a distinguished 35-year career as an emergency room physician at Kelowna General Hospital.
Dr. Wes was widely respected by colleagues & deeply appreciated by patients for his compassion, humility & unwavering kindness-especially toward those less fortunate. Easy on the eyes & naturally charming, Wes had a charismatic personality that drew people in. He loved connecting with others & made people feel seen and at ease. Beneath that bright presence was a gentle kindness & deep love of helping others-qualities that made him perfectly suited to the profession he chose.
A passionate sports enthusiast, Wes continued playing hockey throughout his medical career with the Kelowna Doctors Hockey team, maintaining lifelong friendships & a deep love for the game. He was also frequently called upon to serve as an attending physician, toured Europe with the Canadian Olympic Freestyle ski team, was a regular “ski doc” at Big White, “Hock Doc” for the Kelowna Rockets & finally a “rock doc” for visiting musicians.
Despite a successful & fulfilling medical career, Wes’s greatest happiness came from being a father. He cherished raising his three sons & building a family with his former wife, Kim (Chapman). Wes loved being active with his boys-whether playing basketball, football, tennis, or simply having them nearby during his gym workouts. He believed deeply in the power of fitness & movement & remained committed to staying active until the very end.
Wes lived life in two distinct rhythms: boldly on the edge & quietly reflective with a strong, spiritual core. Those who knew him best understood this balance & loved him all the more for it.
Although his final chapter – an unexpected diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease -was profoundly challenging, Wes was determined to live fully & with dignity. His family is deeply grateful to Wes’s best friend, Dr. Paul Linden whose 40-year friendship & unwavering presence through this devastating illness exemplified extraordinary loyalty & kindness.
Wes was also blessed to be surrounded by an exceptional care team whose compassion made a lasting difference: Lynn, Cynthia, Yolanda, Annie, Simon & Della.
Thank you, brother, for all that you were.
A Celebration of Wes’s Life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s society.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
This obituary is the property of the “Woychuk” family and may not be reproduced, distributed, or altered in any way without prior written consent.
57 Responses
Dr. Wes was a joy to work alongside and as a patient, a great physician.
Gone too soon, but heaven has a gem‼️
My sincere condolences to his family.
Eve, an IhA retired nurse.
We met Wes 32 years ago when Rene and I lived in Kelowna. We are finally moving back and he was the first person I looked up to reconnect with. We were so sad to hear that he passed away earlier this year. He was so kind to us, always made time to genuinely connect in spite of his busy schedule. He always had a smile and lived his life on purpose. What an example he still is to us. We look forward to seeing him again in Heaven whenever we get there. Our deepest sympathy and prayers out to the Family.
Aaron & Rene Ursulak
With deepest condolences to Wes’ family and his three beloved sons along with all his friends who loved him. So sad to read this and sending prayers and heartfelt thoughts. A beautiful tribute.
So sad to hear of Wes’s untimely passing. My deepest condolences to Wes’s family. Worked with Wes in ED for 20 years. Have many memories working with Wes as a team through all the trials and tribulations that come from a busy, hectic and challenging ED environment. Never a dull moment. Rest in peace Wes. Barry
Wes touched many people; my son and grandson and myself. He set a high bar for all of us to meet. The world was a better place with him in it. He will be missed Darlene Varey Brown
So sad to hear of the passing of Wes. We grew up together playing hockey for the Saanich Braves and Saanich Lacrosse. Hanging out as teammates on and off ice was a blast. A fun and gregarious personality. He had a huge smile, a twinkle in his eye, a fun laugh and at times a little boy devilish look. We played all the way through Jr B. I was proud to hear of his success as a doctor through the years. I can only imagine the profound impact he must’ve had on his co-workers and patients. My sincere condolences to his sons, family and many friends. The world lost a true man in every sense of the word and another damn good hockey player. RIP Wes
My deepest and sincere condolences to Wes’s family and friends. A true gentlemen inside and out. I only worked with him a short time but he left a profound mark on me as a human being . He was truely a one of a kind man.Rest in peace Wes.