Dr. Kevin R. Melnick of Blue Bell

Dr. Kevin R. Melnick, of Blue Bell, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on Friday, January 11, 2019. He was 61 years old. Born in Norristown, he was the son of Mildred (Branca) Melnick and the late Jacob Melnick. He was the beloved husband of his high school sweetheart, Valerie (Pupek) Melnick, and the loving father of Kevin, Alexandra, and Zachary Melnick. He is also survived by his sister Patricia Nyholm (late Charles Richard), brothers Jacob (Anna) and Steven (Jacqueline) Melnick, and sister-in-law Dolores Melnick, as well as many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brother Robert Melnick.

Kevin graduated from Norristown Area High School (1975), where he was the president of the National Honor Society. He then attended the University of Colorado (197576) and Bucknell University (1976-79), where he was the president of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and a member of both the Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board Scholastic Honor Societies. He completed his medical degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and his residency training at Suburban General Hospital. He joined Norristown Family Practice in 1985, where he subsequently worked for the next 33 years, board certified in family practice, geriatrics, and hospice and palliative medicine. In addition, Kevin was the Associate Medical Director for the Einstein-Montgomery Hospice and Palliative care team, Medical Advisor for the Norristown Area School District and Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, team physician for the Norristown Area High School Football team, and Clinical Teacher for Drexel Medical School. His professional accolades include the William Lander Excellence in Primary Care Award in 2018 and being named a “Top Doc” by Philadelphia Magazine from 2016 to 2018.

Kevin was an avid soccer player throughout high school, college, and beyond (and has the broken nose to prove it). He also loved coaching his daughter’s soccer and sons’ hockey teams, and was the unofficial doctor for all of his children’s athletic endeavors. Golf permeated into many aspects of his life, from his annual golf trips with friends to teaching and watching his two sons play. Kevin was a skier, snowboarder, and lifelong Philadelphia sports fan, but was most thankful for family trips to Disney and walks on the Ocean City Boardwalk.

Dr. Melnick is irreplaceable. No matter where he was or what obstacles he faced, he lived out every single day with a “no worries” attitude, always offering comfort to those around him. Kevin was driven by patient interaction and was the ultimate provider in all aspects of life. He loved practicing in his hometown, and was proud to serve the community that raised him. While he opened his heart to everyone he met, his greatest love was reserved for his wife, children, and family. Kevin was a faithful member of the Catholic Church and selflessly lived out his life with compassion and patience. He is now in God’s loving embrace, but his legacy lives on through his memory, patients, friends, and family. He was and always will be our angel.

Relatives and friends are invited to a viewing on Friday, January 18, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM and Saturday, January 19, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 11:50 AM at Holy Saviour Church, 407 E. Main Street, Norristown, PA 19401. A Funeral Mass will follow on Saturday at 12:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Dr. Kevin Melnick Memorial Brain Tumor Research Fund, by mailing a check made out to “Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” to Penn Medicine Development, Attn: Sheryl Garton, 3535 Market St, Ste. 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104, or with a credit card donation by phone, 215-746-3895. Please note “in memory of Dr. Kevin Melnick.”

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Caramenico Funeral Home, Inc. (610) 275-7777. Online condolences: www.caramenicofuneralhome.com