Obituary of MARIA LAZAROWICH

MARIA (MARY) LAZAROWICH Maria was born on 14 August 1920 in the town of Dyvyn, povit (county)of Kobryn, oblast region of Polissia in Ukraine. She was the eldest of five children of Iov and Mokryna (Orzechowska) Sacewycz. She was educated in her village and remembered fondly being rewarded with a trip to Warsaw along with other top students. During WW II the family fled to Germany before the advancing Soviet forces where Maria and her sister Vera were conscripted to work in a factory. When the war ended they lived in a displaced persons camp in Karlsruhe. She came to Canada in 1946 as a “mail order bride” of Ivan (John) Lazarowich who had a farm near Hafford SK. Ivan was also a native of Ukraine from the village of Banya Bereziw in the Hutsul region of Ukraine and had immigrated to Canada in 1926. Soon after their marriage in 1947 they sponsored her parents and her sister Vera. Her brothers Nicholas and Hnat came later. They farmed in the Hafford area and had two children, Nicholas and Vera. In 1964 Ivan retired from farming and the family moved to Saskatoon where Mary took on various jobs, one of which was part of the kitchen staff of St. Petro Mohyla Institute, a residence for university students. Upon Ivan’s death in 1982 she moved to Kelowna BC to be close to her son Nicholas, daughter-in-law Julie and grand-daughter Kathryn. In Kelowna she had her own house with a large yard of fruit trees, walnut trees, a garden and colourful flower beds. Maria was very talented in weaving and produced many kilims of traditional and original design. She enjoyed immensely embroidering for her family, especially costumes for her grandchildren, which were worn in many concerts. She also embroidered many beautiful needlepoint pictures. In 2003 ill health forced her to give up her home in Kelowna and to move to Winnipeg to live with her daughter Vera, son-in-law Wolodymyr and grandchildren Andrew, Ilya and Marko. Maria was a lifelong member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. Of particular importance to her were the food and traditions surrounding Christmas and Easter. It gave her great joy to prepare the traditional dishes and especially decorative Easter bread, paska. Although Maria was quiet and unassuming she had a great sense of humour and enjoyed playing games which she created with her grandchildren and later great grandchildren. She loved to read, particularly biographies and historical works. Throughout her life Maria was full of energy and a very hard worker. She loved and appreciated the beauty of nature, she spent as much time as possible out of doors in her garden and among her flowers. She devoted her life to her children and often did without so their lives would be better. This devotion extended to her grandchildren and to her great grand children who gave her the most joy in the last years of her life. As her health declined she maintained a positive attitude even though weighed down by physical infirmities. She loved life! Mary reposed peacefully on Saturday 18 January 2014, Winnipeg MB at the age of 93 at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, MB. She will be sorely missed by her loving son Nick (Julie) Lazarowich of Kelowna BC and loving daughter Vera (Wolodymyr) Senchuk of Winnipeg MB; her grandchildren Kathryn Lazarowich of Vancouver , Andrew Senchuk (Kathrine Basarab)of Winnipeg MB, Ilya (Nadya) Senchuk of Stoney Creek, ON and Marko Senchuk of Winnipeg, MB; her great grandchildren Yuri and Ruslan Senchuk. It was with joyful anticipation she awaited the birth of her third great grandchild to Andrew and Kathrine. She will be missed by her nieces, nephews and extended family. Maria was predeceased by her parents Jov and Mokryna Sacewycz, by her husband Ivan, by her brothers Serhij, Hnat and Nicholas and by her sister Vera Tkachuk. The family is grateful to Natalia Slobodyan and Natalia Movchan for their capable and loving care of Maria. This was made possible by the fine family-managed care program sponsored by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. This enabled Maria to live at home with her daughter and family until her decease. The family also wishes to thank the staffs of Seven Oaks Hospital and Health Science Centre for their sympathetic and professional care of Mary. Maria’s family particularly wishes to thank His Grace Bishop Andriy of the Eastern Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada in Toronto and Rev. Fr. Dr. Jaroslaw Buciora, former dean of St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Winnipeg, to which Mary belonged, for their many sympathetic visits over the years. A special thank you to Very Rev. Alexander Harkavi, present dean of St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral for his pastoral care of Mary in her final months. The family wishes to express their gratitude to His Eminence Metropolitan Yurij, primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada for leading Mary’s funeral services. Prayer Service will be held on Wednesday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. with viewing at 6:00 p.m. at St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, 820 Burrows Ave. Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, January 23 at 10:00 a.m. also at the church with interment at Glen Eden Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Maria’s memory to St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral. May her memory be eternal! Vichnaya Pam’yat !