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
Wes was certainly an original 🙂 always packing his suitcase of meals and snacks to work. He always had a smile for his pts and co-workers. I can honestly say that he was an extremely approachable Doc in the ER to those that were green. Many fond memories of Dr.Woychuk. My heart goes out to his family and all whom were close with him.
Beautiful words and they bring a smile as I remember spending time with Wes and our boys doing these things that he loved together. We played and coached football together and we had enough kids to form our own RockBand and to share our love of music. Our friendship grew as we shared these times together and as we leaned on each other for support. Wes was always willing and eager to contribute with full energy, whether he was our KMFA Team doctor or patching us up after our adventures he was our trusted friend. You will be missed, rest well my friend.
I’ve known Wes since high school, and at that time I would “strategically” sit behind him in class because he was the smartest guy in the room. He was also super friendly, always smiling and bonus – always ready to help with the assignments!
Now, as I read through the condolences, I am reminded all over again how many lives Wes touched. Over and over people mention the same, and we all agree that Wes is genuinely kind and so compassionate. He was one of those rare people whose work was a perfect extension of who he was. He took his natural gifts and turned them into a career that mattered, one he was good at and deeply passionate about.
Yet if you asked him what he was most proud of, it was his boys. I had the pleasure of seeing them again last year on Wes’s birthday, and they are truly wonderful young men. In the words from a song of the Rankin family, “we rise again in the faces of our children”.
Rest well Wes xo
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I met Wes a few times and, reading these beautiful tributes, it’s clear how much he meant to so many people. A kind, loving man that cared so deeply for others. I love much he enjoyed his music.
Wishing you comfort as you remember a life that made such a difference.
I started working with Wes in the old emergency department, and I had the privilege of working alongside him for 10 years.
He was always smiling. Always ready to help. Always leading with love. No matter how heavy the shift felt, he somehow made it lighter just by being there.
He wasn’t just a coworker — he was part of some of the most formative years of my life. His kindness and charm left a lasting imprint on everyone who had the honour of knowing him.
He will never be forgotten
What a beautifully written tribute. Wes was working on my first day in KGH ED and he was there on my last day. He touched so many people through his time there. My condolences to his family and Paul. I’m sorry to hear about your loss
Peace, hugs and prayers to Wendy Greg, Graeme, Micheala, Mother Theresa, Lucas, Sammy, Seb, and Kim.
Got to know and love Wes through his amazing sister Wendy! Who could forget going to parties in Kelowna at the house on the lake. Wes was welcoming, fun and super charming. But he was so much more… smart, caring, compassionate and respectful of all. In these last 5 years of his life in Victoria having deep conversations about family and spirituality have warmed my heart, as have dance parties to Micheal Jackson and George Micheal. Wes had a zest for life, a love for his boys and family, and will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know him. He is at peace now and with his dad Wilf looking after all of us. Peace and prayers, Colleen, Pete, Charlotte and Oliver xo
We were so saddened to hear the passing of Wes. He lived his life to the fullest and always greeted you with a smile and friendly hug. He approached his medical journey in a very positive way never looking back, always moving forward and now he’s on his spiritual journey with endless possibilities. We will miss his friendly smile and loving Heart.
Wes was my first ever department head at Kelowna General Hospital. He hired me, encouraged me and motivated me with a level of excitement for everything he did in life that was infectious. We worked together for 20 years and I can’t think about my beginnings in EM at KGH without thoughts of Wes. I will miss him but will always remember him fondly.
I met Wes (and Paul) at Flex Fitness in 1992 when I was 18. Wes took me under his wing and always had time for me. In those early days Wes was larger than life, and was so charismatic that all the guys around him wanted to be like him. Wes was very intelligent and kind/compassionate and in my opinion, this is what made him a great doctor! Very sad news for me. My condolences to the Woychuk family and Paul Linden.