Memorable Manitobans: John Alexander Melnyk (1927-2022)

Educator, cleric.

Born on the family farm near Fraserwood on 18 December 1927, son of Alex Melnyk (?-?) and Magda Melnyk (1897-1979), he attended high school at Teulon, later attending the Teachers’ College in Winnipeg and graduating with BA (1965) and BEd (1967) degrees from the University of Manitoba.

He was a teacher at Salisbury School (1957-1958; Vice-Principal), Melrose Junior High School (1954-1955, 1956-1957), Munroe Junior High School (Vice-Principal, 1958-1961), Lord Wolseley School (Vice-Principal, 1955-1956; Principal, 1964-1969), Princess Margaret School (?-?), and John DeGraff School (Principal, 1977-1989), retiring after 42 years of service.

On 12 June 1954, he married Sonia F. Diachun (1934-2022) and they had a son and a daughter. Ordained a Greek Orthodox priest, he served at the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Ivan Suchavsky, St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, St. Michael's Church, Garden South Church, and Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church, and at Regina (Saskatchewan), and Thunder Bay (Ontario).

He died at Winnipeg on 7 February 2022.

Sources:

Obituary [Sonia F. Melnyk], Winnipeg Free Press, 22 January 2022.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 19 February 2022.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 12 January 2025

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!