Obituary of Alvin John Elliott

ELLIOTT: Alvin John Elliott of Brandon, beloved husband of Phyllis and father of Judy (Allan), Maureen (Camille), Bev (Dan), Lawrence, and Corinne (Charlie), grandfather of Cole and Carmen, Emma, Josh and Sam, Celeste and Karissa, Keegan and Adam; brother to Jim (Joan) and Dorothy (Bob). He was born to parents Merrill and Dora (Cope) Elliott in Antler, SK. on September 16th, 1926. He spent his summers helping his grandfather on the Elliott family farm near Pipestone. He moved into Winnipeg during his high school years, graduating from Gordon Bell. He studied Medicine at University of Manitoba (class of '50) and married the "the light of his life", Phyllis Sellick in 1951. He started in general practice in Oak River where he practiced for four years, working with Ed Hudson and Keith Hames, lifetime friends and mentors. He then completed training in Internal Medicine at the University of Minnesota and in 1959, moved his growing family to Brandon, where he had been invited to join the founding members of the Brandon Clinic. He practiced with an interest in gastroenterology and specifically inflammatory bowel disease, until his retirement in 1994. He deeply valued the many physicians he worked with, the hospital and clinic staff, and took a personal interest in all of his patients. He was a loving and dedicated husband and father, taking his family on camping trips, learning and then teaching his family to downhill, cross-country and water ski. He loved to sail his Laser and spend time at our Oak Lake cottage, where family and friends have many wonderful and lasting memories. He was active in his community, being involved with organizations such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Hard of Hearing Association, and the Ileitis/Colitis Foundation. Along with others, he and Phyl initiated the building of Hobb's Manor. Al enjoyed curling as well as hunting and fishing with friends and his son Lawrence. He did not slowdown in retirement, auditing many courses at Brandon University, learning woodworking and gardening. He started his own Saskatoon U-Pick in the Brandon Hills, where he enjoyed working with his grandchildren. He and Phyl enjoyed travelling to many places far and wide, often following their adventurous children. He was honoured with the "Distinguished Service Award" by the Manitoba Medical Association in 2000. He died peacefully at the Assiniboine Centre on March 30th, 2016, surrounded by his family. The family would like to extend their gratitude to all of Al's health care providers, past and present, including most recently the wonderful caring staff on the 3rd Floor of Fairview Home and the Palliative Care team at the Assiniboine Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the "Dr. A.J. Elliott Bursary" for Westman medical students, online at umanitoba.ca/giving or c/o Alumni Donor Relations, 200-137 Innovation Drive, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 6B6 (cheques payable to the University of Manitoba); or to the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation, 150 McTavish Ave. E., Brandon, MB, R7A 2B3. A Memorial Service will take place on, Saturday, April 2, 2016 at St. Matthew's Cathedral, 403-13th Street, Brandon, at 2:00 p.m.