Dwight Alvin Yachuk

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Dwight Alvin Yachuk in his 70th year, after a valiantly fought battle with pancreatic cancer. While this awful disease ravaged his physical body, his mind remained clear and sharp right up until the end when, on his terms, he boarded a metaphorical space ship on January 07, 2025 at the Civic Hospital in Ottawa. He left us reluctantly but guided by his own unique sense of wonder and optimism that there is much of value to be discovered in the ‘great beyond’. If you happened to see a bright light dash across the winter sky that will have been Dwight.

Left to mourn and cherish their memories together are his beloved partner/ wife of 18 years, Lucy Willemsen; stepson Josh Stanyar (Katie), stepgrandchildren Angus and Gordie from Vancouver; brother Greg (Jen) and niece Kate from San Francisco; sister Darlene from Ottawa; cousin Christine Brettell (Scott) and sons Jacob and Austen from St. Catharines, cousin Andrew Yachuk from British Columbia and cousin Bryan Yachuk of Buckhorn. Dwight was predeceased by his proud and loving parents Sam and Kathy Yachuk (nee Stolarchuck).

Mourning his passing too are countless friends from all walks of life. He brought love, laughter and companionship to all he met. If you were at Dwight’s fabulous Viking themed retirement party at Owl’s Nest in 2016, you would have seen Dwight in his element. Horned Viking helmet on his head, furs wrapped around his lanky body, when he wasn’t tending to the roasting of a whole pig over the fire, or filling your glass with spirits, he was rounding up one and all to engage in games of Norse bravado. Those who were lucky enough to be Dwight’s ‘friends ’will all have different stories to tell but can share in the truism that life was so much fun when Dwight was around.

But Dwight was not just the person you wanted around when fun and games was the order of the day. He had so many friends because he knew how to be a friend, always the first to lend a helping hand, a listening ear or a shoulder to lean on. And when advice was needed, Dwight knew instinctively how to put a positive spin on things.

Dwight’s athletic pursuits were a source of much joy, not to mention the added bonus of bringing many wonderful friends into his life. Biking with the Ottawa Cycling Club, mountain, rock and ice climbing with the Alpine Club of Canada, sailing on the Ottawa River, in the Caribbean and across the Atlantic, no adventure was too great.

But these adventures took a backseat once Dwight met Lucy. He switched his focus from climbing mountains and sailing oceans to hauling logs, building sheds, forming stone walls, planting orchards, raising chickens and turkeys (‘Handsome ’and ‘Gretel ’were perfectly named), tapping trees for maple syrup and enthusiastically tackling whatever was next.

Dwight ended his working career with the Federal Government, working in Procurement. Shortly after his retirement, in late 2016, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He faced the challenge head on with fortitude and grit and managed to confound those in the medical community by living an additional 8 years. And in his classic “the glass is half full” perspective, he would say, notwithstanding the loss of a few good friends and his parents during this time, that they were wonderful years.

When it became clear that his time was limited, Dwight reached out to his friends via social media and invited them to drop by his home to share stories and laughs and to say good-bye properly. Many did and will be forever grateful that he and Lucy made it possible for them to do so.

If there are words of wisdom he would share today they would be to get your affairs in order, be kind and compassionate and don’t hold regrets. Words to live by that always held him in good stead.

In his last days, Dwight also shared a parable about a little red spaceship, the vehicle that would transport him to the ‘other side’, the place where for an indeterminate amount of time, 100,000 years or more, he’d be busy “on the other side” exploring the universes many dimensions. Even in passing he made us smile.

A ‘Celebration of Dwight’s Life ’will be held August 4, 2025 at 75 chemin Stanyar, Val des Monts, Quebec, where his ashes will be placed under a peach tree that he planted, and his space ship will be launched