MELVIN MATT DUDA

1951 - 2019

DUDA, MELVIN MATT: 1951 - 2019. Mel passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and friends on May 10, 2019. Mel was born in Dauphin, Manitoba to Matt and Adeline Duda. He was the second of three children (Ielean, Len). The family moved to Penticton to seek new opportunities in 1964. They lived with Uncle Art and Auntie Marie Clarkson while they built their home on Okanagan Avenue. They were a hard-working family and Mel took that work ethic with him throughout his entire life. Mel worked at Okanagan Manufacturer's for 20 years where he held multiple positions and made lifelong friends. He picked up all kinds of skills and learned how to fix or build just about anything. He was a stickler for detail and knew exactly how he wanted a project to turn out. He could often be heard saying, "It's my way or the highway!" and "Do it right the first time!". In 1979 Mel married Lynn and as an added bonus gained two children, Karl and Jennifer. He took to family life with vigor and soon after, Cristine was born. Mel and Lynn worked hard to build a good life and moved the family to OK Falls to start a new venture. With a lot of hard work and the help of family and friends, they took a raw parcel of land, transformed it into a vineyard and built the family home. Within that time, Mel and his brother Len also started a concrete and framing business. Wanting to be his own boss, Mel later transitioned from the vineyard to a thriving nursery business, Duda Nursery Ltd. He became a fixture of the community and infamous for his "no-nonsense" style. He loved going to Tim's and "networking" with the guys at 5am and then back to the Falls Restaurant at 10am to harass the locals. Mel was a firm believer that you don't need a lot of friends, you just need a few loyal ones. He was a mischievous guy and had lots of adventures with his life long friends. He was always there to help out a friend or neighbor when you needed him. Mel had a passion for motorcycles for most of his life and was very proud of his Harleys. Mel and Lynn completed a three month trip across Canada and the US on the Harley last summer-one of the highlights of their lives. He absolutely loved getting on his Harley any chance he could and loved the feeling of freedom when he hit the open road. Mel is survived by his loving wife, Lynn, his children Jennifer (Jann), Karl (Amy), Cristine (Ryan) and by his grandchildren Sam, Lily, Everett, Adeline and Ruby. Also survived by his sister Ielean, brother Len (Irene), Uncle Art and Auntie Marie, extended family and friends. He will always be loved and we can't imagine life without him. We would like to thank everyone for their love and support and thank all of the doctors and nurses involved in Mel's care. We would like to especially thank his long time GP Dr Jamie Robertson as well as Dr Andrew Robertson and his team for their compassion and respect of Mel's wishes. There will be a Celebration of Life at Kenyon Park in OK Falls on June 8, 2019 from 10:00am to 1:00pm. In lieu of flowers, we ask you to please donate to the Penticton Hospital Foundation or your favorite charity in Mel's name. Mel lived by his motto, "I'd rather die living than live dying". Condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.everdenrust.com