Beloved Weyburn plant shop owner dies, leaving legacy of creativity and kindness
CBC
A beloved shop owner and champion of the Weyburn arts scene is being mourned.
Melanie Hiske was 49-years-old when she died on July 20. Hiske's family says her contributions to the community will be remembered for years to come.
The Hiske family moved to Weyburn seven years ago, but it wasn't until 2022 that Melanie opened her store Root Bound Plant Shop. It grew to be more than a plant store, as she added fashion and art into the mix.
"She really loved fashion, really loved everything vintage. She was very much an esthetic, colourful person. She put a lot of effort into everything she did," said Melanie's daughter Morgan Kelly, who sometimes worked at the store.
Melanie was diagnosed with a cancerous neuroendocrine tumour on April 16. Her husband Aaron Hiske said the survival expectation was about six months.
Melanie spent time in Regina until her pain management was under control. Aaron said she was able to be home in Weyburn, as she wished, until just days before her death.
"When she was diagnosed with being ill, she mentioned that she was very proud of what she's built and what she was able to do. And I was very proud of her store," said Aaron.
Kelly said she wants people to remember her mother as someone who cared a lot about everything she did.
"If you came in here [to Root Bound], she'd definitely try to make you feel like you're welcome. I think that's why so many people supported the store. She was the store. She'd be your friend, even if she didn't know who you were at all."
Melanie was also a big supporter of local artists and local art programming, volunteering many times for festivals and musical theatre productions, according to her family. Her husband Aaron said that her support of artists made its way into Root Bound.
"She had a really big focus on including local vendors and local artisans. So if you look around the store, you'll see all kinds of things there on display from people within a 30-mile radius of Weyburn," said Aaron.
Aaron said Melanie was great at making an instant, genuine connection with someone.
"If you told her something about you, or your name, or your favourite food or something, she would remember that forever and she'd bring that up next time that she saw you. And so it really made people feel special and part of something," said Aaron.
Aaron said Melanie was his best friend and the most special person he'd ever met.
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