Obituaries

MELANIE  ANNE  BIDEWELL   With great sadness, the family of Melanie Anne Bidewell announces her peaceful death on April 6, 2016, at Grace Hospital, her brother and sisters at her side.    Melanie was born on December 9, 1956 at the old Grace Hospital in Winnipeg to Jack and Dorothy Bidewell, the third of their five children. After finishing high school in St. James, Melanie landed a job in the grain business with Northern Sales Ltd. and she never looked back.   Melanie spent her whole career in the Special Crops industry, which included canaryseed, peas, lentils, chickpeas and buckwheat. From her start in clerical work at Northern Sales, she quickly took on a commodity logistics role, ensuring that complex purchase and sale contracts were executed in a timely and thorough manner. Her proficiency led to her move into trading. Melanie’s gift was the ability to work with the many personalities involved in the trade and to get things done effectively and profitably.  She moved on to work at other companies as a trader and broker, including a period in Vancouver. Although she loved the west coast, she returned to Winnipeg to be closer to her family.    In the middle and later years of her career she continued working with clients as an independent broker, always maintaining a supportive and personal touch with her clients. Despite a gradual decline in her health in recent years, she operated her business, Bidewell Special Crops Brokers, until her death.   Melanie inherited her parents’ love of dogs and was particularly drawn to wire fox terriers, the breed of her family’s childhood pets. She was active in the Red River Terrier Association, with a special interest in fund-raising and rescuing dogs in need.   Melanie was predeceased by her parents and will be forever missed by her siblings, Frances, Laurie Holmes (Larry), Graeme (Janice Duynisveld) and Pam (Rick Kolesar), and by her nieces and nephews, Shannon McBride and Michael Holmes and their families, and Alexander, Robyn and Reid Kolesar. She also leaves a very sad wire fox terrier named Hazel.   No formal service is planned. A family graveside memorial will be held at a later time.   Our family’s heartfelt gratitude for the heroic efforts of emergency first responders and Grace Hospital emergency and Intensive Care staff.   Instead of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to Grace Hospital Foundation, 300 Booth Drive, Winnipeg, MB, R3J 3M7 or Winnipeg Humane Society, 45 Hurst Way, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 0R3 or a charity of choice.   Wojcik’s Funeral Chapels & Crematorium, Winnipeg, 2157 Portage Avenue, 204.897.4665 www.wojciksfuneralchapel.com