Obituary of Dr. Morris Wasylenki, MD

Dr. Morris Wasylenki, MD

Valencia, PA- On Sunday, February 24th, 2019, Dr. Morris Wasylenki, MD, loving husband and father of three children, passed away just before his 90th birthday.

Dr. Wasylenki was born on February 26th, 1929, in Coniston, Ontario, Canada to Walter and Anne Wasylenki.  He earned a combined undergraduate degree and MD degree from the University of Toronto in just 6 years. He completed his surgical residency at the Cleveland Clinic, where he trained with his future business partner and met his future wife.

In 1956, he married Patricia Smith of Latrobe, PA. The duo spent some years in Ontario, Canada, and Philadelphia, PA, where Dr. Wasylenki later joined the staff of Jefferson Medical School as a surgical instructor and researcher while continuing to treat surgical patients.

In 1965, Dr. Wasylenki joined with Dr. William Millberg and his brother, Dr. Richard Millberg, to open a group medical practice in Ashtabula, OH. They hired two more physicians and in 1968, the Ashtabula Clinic was born. Dr. Wasylenki was President of the Ashtabula Clinic from 1981 until 1998, and was the first physician to be a full member of the Board of Trustees for the Ashtabula General Hospital.

Dr. Wasylenki practiced medicine for more than 40 years, retiring in 2005. He had a passion for his patients and for his life’s work as a surgical healer. His dedication to his patients’ needs drove him to continue to cultivate new skills, to make time for the comfort of his patients, and, ever the teacher, to bring cutting-edge techniques to other physicians and medical professionals in Ashtabula.

He loved sailing with friends and family, enjoyed a good game of golf, and took up water-skiing and snow skiing later in life to have fun with his family. He was always reading to learn something new, and dedicated any weekend time off to his children.

Dr. Wasylenki was preceded in death by his father, Walter, his mother, Anne, and his beloved wife, Patricia.

Dr. Wasylenki is survived by his three children, Morris (Carol) Wasylenki, DDS, Janice (Scott) Ritter, and Joan (Walter) Mancing; his siblings, Eugene, Raymond, Stanley, and sister Orysia; and five grandchildren.

Memorial Services will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the Zaback-Williams-Ducro Funeral Home, 500 West Prospect Avenue, Ashtabula, Ohio.

A calling hour will be observed from 12 noon until time of service at 1:00PM at the funeral home. 

 Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the ACMC Foundation, 2420 Lake Ave, Lewis Building, 2nd Floor, Ashtabula, OH, 44004. See https://www.acmchealth.org/foundation/ways-to-give, call 440-997-6607, or email tami.netkowicz@acmchealth.org for more information.

ZABACK-WILLIAMS-DUCRO FUNERAL HOME, 500 West Prospect Road, Ashtabula is assisting the family. www.ducro.com