Obituary of TEKLA BOIWKA

TEKLA BOIWKA

Our beloved mother, sister and Babcia, Tekla Boiwka, departed into heavenly peace on May 6, 2022 at the age of 93.

Left to cherish her memory is her caring and dedicated son Peter Boiwka, daughter Maria Pograniczny with husband Mikolaj, grandchildren Lesia (Scott) and Luba (Tony) and her great grandchildren Anna, Alicia and Nikolas.   As well, in Poland, she leaves to mourn her brother Adam Harhaj, along with his family, as well as many extended families throughout Winnipeg, Poland and England.  She was predeceased by her husband Wasyl Boiwka. 

Tekla was born in Komancza, Poland, on October 1, 1928 to parents Anastasia and Mikolaj Harhaj.  Before her first birthday, her father left to Montreal, Canada in pursuit of different opportunities for his family.   After Second World War her and her mother, along with her neighboring community, were forcibly removed to northwest Poland where she grew up on a small farm in the village of Galiny.  After a few failed attempts to immigrate his family to Canada, it was at this time, that her father had come back to Poland in 1948 to re-join his wife and, now teenage, daughter in their new home.  Tekla spent the remainder of her teen and adult life in Galiny, where she married her love Wasyl Boiwka in 1949. Three years later they welcomed their first child Peter followed by their daughter Maria.   

Faith and family were her world, and the garden was her home.  Baba’s strength did not come from things of this world but from her dedication to prayer.  She passes down her faith and her little black prayer book by which Baba could be fondly remembered reading at the kitchen table any day and at any time.  Despite spending her whole life being raised in present day Poland, she managed to still continue to pass down her Ukrainian language even after Polish had long become her native tongue and moving to Canada in 1987.  Here she joined her daughter and family at the age of 59, along with her husband and son.  She instantly became caregiver to her grandchildren and insisted on only speaking Ukrainian to them at home.  She spent the remainder of her time, nourishing her family with the fruits of her garden or entertaining her granddaughters with inside jokes. 

Gratitude goes out to the Basilian Fathers, especially Father Isidore & Father Emilian, for always checking in and dutifully bringing the Eucharist and providing companionship.  Thank you to all our friends and family who never ceased to visit.  Appreciation to Father Taras, her doctors and nurses for their comfort and care in Tekla’s final moments. 

Service will be held on Friday, May 13, 2022 at 11:00am at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church with Fr. Isidore Dziadyk, OSBM presiding.  Interment will follow at Holy Family Cemetery. 

Until we meet again…

Христос Воскрес! Wieczny odpoczynek! Rest in Eternal Peace!