Russell Manuel

1932 - 2015

Doctor F. Russell Manuel, 82, passed away in his sleep on Jan. 19, 2015, at Braddan Private Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, with two of his sons by his side. Born in Montreal, Canada, the second eldest of five children, he was the son of the late Frederick Russell Manuel Sr. and Grace Hough. He is survived by his six children, John, Stephen, Douglas, Martha Lauri, Charles and Caroline; and seven grandchildren, Dillon Ferro, Koji Sugawara-Manuel, Caplan and Toby Barker, Vincent and Elisabeth Manuel and Alma Grace Hille. He has three bothers, John, Phil and David, and was predeceased by his sister, Dorothy (DJ) Janes. Over the years Russ' medical career led him in many directions. After graduating from the University of Toronto Medical School, his love of adventure took him to England, Tanzania, back to Ontario, Jamaica, Halifax, Alaska, Washington, Utah, and finally to Vancouver. Russ spent the first half of his career practicing traditional Western medicine. In early 1980, he traveled to China to study acupuncture, marking the beginning of the second half of his career as an Alternative Medicine practitioner. Known by his family, patients and friends for his insatiable curiosity, his impish infectious grin, Santa-like laugh, kind eyes, a sweet tooth, a penchant for large American cars and a passion for the outdoors. His compassionate demeanor will be greatly missed. His six children will fondly remember piling into the VW van for camping trips to Kejimkujik Park, rain or shine, rafting in the big rubber raft in Tatamagouche, homemade root beer, the last sip of his Ten Penny Ale and spelt bread and Birkenstocks. The last of his cockamamie hair-brained family adventures was the fly-in Ruth Glacier trip at Denali in Alaska, circa 1995, when he and his six children were snowbound in the worst blizzard in Alaska in decades. Russell lived his life to the fullest and will be remembered fondly by every person whose life he touched. Share memories, condolences and photos at www.facebook.com/russ.manuel.life.