Dr. Philip Harold Melville, M.D., F.R.C.S., (Phil) died peacefully in Toronto, Ontario, of complications arising from old age on June 3, 2021. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on August 4, 1927, he was 93.
The son of Annie Hall and Thomas Melville, Phil was raised in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan, and then Timmins Ontario, where he spent his formative years and attained his high school diploma. Phil went on to earn a degree in medicine from the University of Toronto in 1951, and, after his internship, in 1957 he commenced practising psychiatric medicine in both private practice and public service, variously in Toronto, England and Northern Ontario. Phil also wrote several books in the fiction genre and dabbled in playwriting and other arts. He travelled widely throughout his life and it is rumoured, with some veracity, that he consumed several hay wagons worth of Amphora Brown pipe tobacco and that he owned more than 50 motor vehicles throughout his time. Though not without inconsistencies, Phil was privately a social conservative and publicly a socialist devoted to the delivery of community support, public health care and government funding to those in need. To his family, and those who knew him, Phil was passionate, intelligent, obstinate and difficult, sometimes all at the same time – a person extraordinary in both negative and positive ways.
Predeceased by his first spouse (from whom he was divorced), Phil is survived by his sister, Muriel Smith and his second spouse (from who he was also divorced), as well as his 6 children, 14 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.
There are too many to thank by name for assisting Phil through the final parts of his journey; that said, we are compelled to expressly thank the staff at St. Matthew’s Bracondale House where Phil spent his final decade. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Matthew’s at smbh.ca/ or to the cause of your choice.
A private family gathering will be held near Toronto shortly. In due course, Phil will be interred with his parents in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan.
And so it goes….
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Philip Harold Melville Thursday June 3rd 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Kitchener, Province: Ontario