Melvin Woodward
1933-2015

MELVIN WOODWARD (AUGUST 23, 1933 – MARCH 16, 2015)

It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of Melvin Woodward, who passed peacefully away this morning at his home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. He leaves to mourn his wife and life time partner, Sibyl, his children; Peter (Nicole Powell), Tana (Mike Whitehead), Melvin Jr. and five grandchildren; Erin, Gillian, Mac, Luke and Andrew.
Dad was born in North Boat Harbour, Newfoundland and moved to Goose Bay, Labrador in 1957 to work. Followed by his bride to be Sibyl Coles, they married at the RCAF Chapel in Goose Bay on Remembrance Day of that year.

From his early beginnings of pulling seal pelts to the shore and teaching at a sole room school house for $65/month, Mel went on to build an enterprise with 800 employees and $750 million in sales; a testament to his outstanding contributions to business growth and the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The companies he has created include Woodward’s Oil Limited, Woodward’s Limited, Coastal Shipping Limited, Woodward Motors Limited, Labrador Motors Limited, Labrador Marine Services and Arctic Fuel Delivery. He was particularly proud of his ability to re-establish Newfoundland and Labrador’s role in the Arctic, and he won all contracts through competitive tendering with the Nunavut Government to provide fuel distribution in the territory.

In addition to business our father had a distinguished career in public and community service in our province. Twice elected as a member of the House of Assembly; he served as minister of Labrador Affairs; Director for the Bank of Canada; founding member and President of the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce; President of the Liberal Association; chairman of the Federal Enterprise Development Board for Industry, Trade and Commerce; member of the Memorial University Board of Regents; and chairman of the St. John’s Port Corporation. Other significant honours included an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Memorial University, the Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and being named to the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Hall of Fame.

Our father never forgot his roots. He loved Boat Harbour and continued to share his love for his hometown and for Labrador. Like few other of his generation he saw the north as a land of opportunity, and while others went south to settle and invest, he made the north his home. A man of integrity and hard work, he was loyal to those around him.

Today we celebrate our father’s accomplishments and mourn the loss of a husband, father, grandfather and a true son of Newfoundland and Labrador.

His wake took place at Fillatre’s Funeral Home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Funeral Service was held at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Thursday, March 19, with interment following in Boat Harbour.