Obituary of Graeme Melcher

January 11, 1989 - July 10, 2021

Devoted husband of Kate, beloved son of Nancy and Mark Melcher, adored son-in-law of Nancy and Peter.

Graeme was a remarkable young man and he accomplished much in his 32 years. He was many things: bright - earning three university degrees; intelligent - with a lightning-fast wit and quirky sense of humour; creative - as a member of successful competitive Improv teams; loyal - he was a powerful and cherished friend; curious - always building things; well-read, and a published author and poet.

He grew up in Uxbridge and attended the gifted program in Port Perry, making life-long friends. He was a fixture at Blue Heron Books working part-time for 6 ½ years. In high school he played rugby, was very active in the drama department, and enjoyed performing on electric bass in “Peapods Blues Review” and “Eleven”.

He followed his grandfather’s advice, attending different universities (Queen’s, York, Dalhousie), while pursuing higher education. In addition to his regular academics, Graeme studied overseas twice (Herstmonceux Castle, Lund University), tutored inmates at Kingston Penitentiary, played bass in the Queen’s Players’ band, and wrote for and served as editor of Queen’s Golden Words Newspaper. This was where he met Kate, the love of his life.

Upon completion of his law degree, he articled with Bennet Jones LLP in Toronto. Called to the bar in 2018, he joined The Supreme Cannabis Company. In early 2021 he moved to McKesson Canada.

Graeme was an accomplished actor and musician, performing with local community theatre companies. He balanced work and play through his love of music and supported his friends who pursued music as a career, sometimes joining them onstage for a few songs. He was an active person, enjoying mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking and canoeing at the cottage.

Graeme leaves behind his wife, parents, in-laws, extended family and myriad friends. We are devastated by his sudden death - a parent’s worst nightmare come true. In lieu of flowers, please make a generous donation to Graeme’s preferred charity, the Uxbridge Cottage Hospital Foundation, in his memory.  A celebration of his life will be held at a future date. We are grateful to the staff of St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton EMS and the Good Samaritans who helped Graeme.