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
I knew Wes from the gym and from my visits to Kelowna Emergency. Wes was a great guy,good doctor and sad we have lost him. my deepest condolences to family and friends
I am speechless I meet him years ago when he worked for Dr Stevenson He was brilliant and charming and so talented and then worked with him at KGH. He helped me on several occasions with different things. I am truely sorry for the family he was such a genuine authentic kind person Carey-Ann Shiskin
My deepest condolences and sympathies to the Woychuk family. I had the honour of working with him in the ER at KGH for most of my career. He was one of a kind for sure. He never looked down on you for asking questions or asking for help. His kindness and approachability is what made him a very popular doctor. He lived life to the fullest and always had a smile for you. You will be missed Dr Wes. Thank you for being a colleague and a friend.
My sincerest condolences to Wes’s family. I worked as an RN in the ED with Wes for many years and can say he was a kind and compassionate physician and human being. All his patients loved “Dr Wes”who always listened to them and treated them with compassion and kindness. Gone too soon.
Joyce Hebert
My heart felt condolences to those who loved and cared for Wes. Wes helped deliver and welcome me into this world, and many years later, it was a true honor to work alongside him at the KGH Emergency Room. Wes’ kindness and compassion was steady and genuine. May he rest in peace.
What a beautiful tribute, Wendy. We were blessed to have had Wes in our lives, as he was a genuinely good man. He was there to fix all of our children growing up, and was also there as a great friend. There were many a great times shared with the families of Wes and Dr. Paul. The memories will be cherished.
Dear Wendy,
We were so sorry to hear of Wes’ passing. What a beautiful tribute to your brother. Randy and I send our deepest condolences to you and the family.
Hello, Wes had taken great care of me while I was waiting for my back surgery. He was so kind and a caring Doctor. Thoughts and prayers to the family and friends. He truly was a doctor who cared about each patient he saw. He truly will be missed.
I was very saddened to hear that Wes had been stricken with that terrible disease. Sometimes life just isn’t fair. Wes was an awesome guy, funny, could be serious and always approachable. I knew Wes mostly through the gym environment. He was a hard trainer and a lot of fun to be around. He made workouts and gym time a lot of fun and a lot less boring for sure. He was always willing to field health related queries even though he was off the clock. Will be missed. My heart felt condolences go out to his family. Rest in peace in that big weight room in the sky.
Awesome words said about an awesome man. He was truly a great doctor and friend to all.
He certainly will be missed but never forgotten. May he rest in peace.