Dr. John Sawchuk

John Sawchuk was born Feb. 18, 1932, in Invermay, Sask., to Feodor and Katherine Sawchuk who immigrated to Canada from the Volyna region of the Ukraine. The second of four children, John attended elementary and secondary school in Clair and Saskatoon, Sask. His elementary education was in a one-room school that was built by his father. His native language, Ukrainian, was spoken in his home, and John learned English for the first time when he entered school. His father homesteaded and instilled in John a value for hard work. John would share that he grew up in a peasant family that was very loving. Even though they were poor monetarily, they were rich in love, family, and happiness. Many evenings were spent together singing and playing instruments around the farm home.

John completed his premedical studies at the University of Saskatchewan in 1954. He earned his medical degree from the University of Manitoba in 1958. Dr. John married the love of his life, Marilynn Grace Gillies of Winnipeg on June 21, 1958. He spent the next two years doing an internship in general medicine and surgery at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg, Man. Dr. Sawchuk was board certified in family practice becoming a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians in 1978.

Dr. John and Marilynn moved from Canada to Rolette in 1960 where he joined Dr. S. J. Cook in medical practice at the Rolette and Dunseith Clinics as well as the Rolette Community Hospital. For a time Dr. John was the medical director at San Haven and the Dunseith Nursing Home and also served as the Rolette County coroner. Dr. John maintained a very busy practice in family medicine until he was forced to retire in 1983, due to a debilitating stroke. Dr. John was a skilled and compassionate physician and surgeon. He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and his Christian faith was deeply intertwined in his medical practice. He was loved and respected by his patients and medical colleagues. He was an active member of the Christian Medical and Dental Society. John and Marilynn enjoyed taking short-term medical mission trips, sometimes with the family. They traveled to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Haiti, Liberia, and Taiwan. Dr. John was a recognized leader in North Dakota medicine, serving on the North Dakota State Board of Medical Examiners and as Associate Professor of Medicine at UND helping train the first class of Nurse Practitioners.

John and Marilynn put down roots in Rolette where they raised their three children, Ted, Cathy, and Jenny, and became involved in community activities. John served on the Rolette School Board, taught Sunday school, served on the board of the Rolette Assembly of God Church, and was a member of Gideons International. John enjoyed fishing trips to northern Canada, goose hunting, family curling, and gardening. John also loved rock hounding, taking every opportunity to make his love of lapidary a part of each family adventure. With his beautiful tenor voice, John enjoyed singing in church, community cantatas, and male quartets. One of John’s greatest joys in life was his children and grandchildren. In his retirement years he enjoyed following activities of his grandchildren and wintering in Florida.

John leaves behind his beloved wife of 56 years, Marilynn; son, Theodore (Jana) Sawchuk, Fargo; daughters, Cathryn (Jeff) Teubner, Cando, and Jennifer (Brent) Heisler, Cando; grandchildren, Ander, Anica, and Isaac Sawchuk, Calvin (fiance Alyssa Lipsiea) and Jessica Teubner, and Alexandra and John Heisler; brother, Pete (Marlene) Sawchuk, Saskatoon, Sask., sisters, Lena (Wally) Maranchuk, Kelowna, B.C., Darlene (Mel) Gimas, Weekes, Sask., and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and niece Darcy Gimas.

Funeral Services will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, March 12, 2015, at Christian Fellowship Church, Cando.

Visitation will be 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home, Cando with family celebration and sharing at 7:30 p.m. Visitation on Thursday will be for one hour prior to the service at the church.

Interment will take place in the spring at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Cando.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to North Dakota Teen Challenge, 1402 2nd St. NW, Mandan, ND 58554, or the charity of your choice.

The family would like to thank his caregivers Angie and Pauline, the caring staff of the Towner County Living Center, and Altru Hospice of Devils Lake.

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant…enter thou into the joy of the Lord.” Matthew 25:21