April 3, 1940 - July 29, 2024
Melvyn Robert (Mel) Smith of Faro, Yukon passed away quietly in Vancouver General Hospital on July 29, 2024 at age 84.
Mel leaves to mourn his passing his twin sister Marilyn Nelson of Calgary, brothers Don Smith (Jane) of Devon, Grant Smith (Elsie) of Vancouver, and Hal Smith (Marilyn) of St. Albert, his 3 children Mel Smith (Marti) of Victoria, Sharlayne Walcot (John), and Chris Smith (Maureen), both of Calgary, as well as several grandchildren. Mel was predeceased by his parents Dorothy and Harold Smith, and his brother-in-law, Garry Nelson.
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Mel spent summers at Alberta Beach and Itaska Beach as well as on his grandmother's farm near Sundre, Alberta. He loved music, playing both the piano and the guitar, and would often play and sing with his cousins at family events. Mel was an outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing, often joining his dad on river boating trips, camping on the shores of the Athabasca River.
Mel had a multi-faceted working life that included the dairy, butter and egg business, hotel management, food service, chicken farming, and retail grocery and hardware. These ventures took him to Athabasca, Lloydminster, Dawson City, and finally Faro.
Mel was not a big city guy, and the North seemed to call him. In the 1980's, he moved to Faro to assist friends managing the Faro Hotel for a few years. Mel fell in love with the area - the escarpment of the Tintina Trench and the beautiful Pelly River valley where he walked the surrounding trails with his dogs, Rainier and Puddles - and he never left.
Mel recognized a need in Faro so he set up a unique store to bring in a mixture of hard-to-find items the townspeople requested, including groceries. He called it "The Discovery Store". Later, taking over the existing grocery and hardware stores, Mel consolidated the businesses into the Discovery Store of today. There were many struggles along the way, but Mel's determination and perseverance pulled the business through the toughest of times, preserving what has always been, and still is, a well-loved and much relied-upon mainstay of the community.
Mel was a well-respected member of the Faro community, giving generously to local events, and serving as both Mayor and Councillor. Following his credo that "nobody should ever run out of groceries", Mel would open his store at all hours if someone needed something. He was a kind-hearted man who helped many people in many ways over the years. His presence will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him.
Per Mel's wishes there will be no funeral service or celebration. Should anyone wish to remember Mel in a special way, planting a tree in his honor would support his love of the outdoors: https://shop.alivingtribute.ca/products/plant-a-tree-canada
An alternative would be a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society: https://cancer.ca/en/ways-to-give/personal-donation
The family wishes to thank the people of Faro, Mel's second family, who supported The Discovery Store through the years, and assisted Mel when things became too difficult for him.
The family also thanks the medical staff at Vancouver General Hospital, 8th and 14th floors, for their care and kindness during Mel's last few weeks.