Notice of Memorial Service

Roger Gerard Spink, DMD 1947-2021

“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

A memorial service in honour of Dr. Roger Spink — a real trailblazer — will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at Grace Mennonite Church, 250 28 Street W, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. A reception will take place at the church following the service.
Roger’s legacy is reflected in the lives of countless people, especially his family, friends, colleagues, and students. His sense of adventure and empathy for others lives on in the memory of everyone who knew Roger, and is passed on through the stories they share.

Obituary

Roger Spink passed away on February 17, 2021 at the age of 73. Predeceased by his parents, two brothers, and daughter Tasha, Roger is survived by his daughters Lauren and Leanne and their children, as well as his sisters June, Joy, Rena, and Laurie.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Roger graduated from the U. of M., Faculty of Dentistry, in 1970. He was a dentist in Malaysia for two years in the early 1970s. When he returned to Canada, Roger worked for several years at the National School of Dental Therapy in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, training dental therapists for work in northern communities.

In the 1980s, the National School of Dental Therapy relocated to Prince Albert, Saskatcherwan; Roger, together with his family, also moved to Prince Albert where he continued teaching at the school for several years. As a passionate globe-trotter, Roger also helped out at similar training schools in Nepal and Zimbabwe.

In the late 1990s, Roger established his own dental practice in Prince Albert where he practised until he retired in 2013. In subsequent years, he worked as an outreach dentist for a number of remote northern communities which he visited several times a year. Roger also loved volunteering at Ronald McDonald House Family Room in Victoria Hospital, Prince Albert, where he channeled his sincere kindness, positive energy, and contagious smile toward people going through very challenging times.

Roger was a real trailblazer who cleared a path and left a trail for others to follow for years to come.

If you would like to make a charitable donation in Roger’s memory, please consider donating to Ronald McDonald House Charities, or to a charity of your choice. Thank you.

• Date : 2021-02-17