THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM (01/24/93)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FORUM

OBITUARIES

Katherine Lukacz, Wilkes-Barre activist

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - Katherine Lukacz of Wilkes-Barre died on December 3, 1992.

Born in Ukraine, she was the daughter of the late Peter and Martha Senuta Herman, and a sister of the late Gregory Herman, former supreme officer of the Ukrainian National Association.

She came to the United States in 1928, settling in Wilkes-Barre. Mrs. Lukacz had been employed by the B.F. Goodrich Co., retiring about 25 years ago.

She was a member of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Wilkes-Barre, and its Apostleship of Prayer and Mothers' Club. She was also a member of the Ukrainian Cultural Society, and was active in many church fund-raising projects, gaining a reputation as a hard worker.

She was an officer and organizer of UNA Branch 282 for 50 years.

Mrs. Lukacz was known for her Ukrainian pysanky and she taught the art to children of scout groups and various senior citizens' groups.

Her husband, Harry, died in February 1970. Three of her children, Peter (1975), Stephen (1988) and Sophie Casaletti (1988), died before her. She was preceded in death also by brothers Gregory and Demetrius Herman.

Surviving are daughters, Mary Bolosky, Kingston, Pa., Olga Kosek, Phillipsburg, N.J.; 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

The funeral was held Monday, December 7, 1992, from Mary A. Harostock Funeral Home in Wilkes-Barre, with divine liturgy held at Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church. Interment was at the parish cemetery in Plains.

Mary Moroz, Boston community member

CONCORD, Mass. - Mary (Zwarych) Moroz, 97, who immigrated to the United States from Ukraine before World War I and who taught herself to read and write, first in Ukrainian and then in English, died Tuesday in her son's home in Concord. She was a member of UNA Branch 238.

Mrs. Moroz was born in the village of Ostashivtsi and came to the United States in 1912. She had never attended school because the village classroom had been destroyed in the fighting that occasionally raged in Galicia.

Mrs. Moroz resolved to educate herself. She became literate in Ukrainian and then tackled English.

With literacy came better jobs, and Mrs. Moroz became a sought-after cook in Jewish restaurants, working in several of them in the Boston area. Her specialties were Jewish, Ukrainian and other Slavic dishes.

She went back to Ukraine on a visit in 1929 and returned with a husband.

Mrs. Moroz became very active in the: Boston Ukrainian community and became a charter member of Boston's first Ukrainian church.

That role thrust her into a court case when the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston laid claim to the church building. Mrs. Moroz and three other members paid off the mortgage on the building and when the case came to trial, the court ruled in favor of the congregation and against the archdiocese. She then became one of the founding members of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

In addition, Mrs. Moroz acted in Ukrainian folk theater.

She was a member of a small group of Ukrainian immigrants who before World War II encouraged others to become U.S. citizens and who after the war helped relocate people displaced by the war.

Mrs. Moroz lived in Boston, Roxbury and Roslindale. After her late husband, Peter, retired, they moved to Dennisport. Mr. Moroz was an active member of the UNA, serving as a convention delegate for many years. He was also president and organizer of UNA Branch 238.

Mrs. Moroz leaves a son, Eugene of Concord; two sisters, Anna and Evdokia of Ukraine; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A funeral liturgy was offered on January 9 at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Jamaica Plain.

Bridgeport children welcome St. Nicholas

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Over 50 children, along with their parents, greeted St. Nicholas on December 6, 1992, in the church hall of the local Ukrainian Catholic church with the song "O, khto, khto, Mykolaya liubyt." The president of Branch 59, Roman Stec, and the financial secretary, Taras Slevinsky, put in a lot of work to make this event a success. They saw to it that every child received a gift from the branch and went home happy.

Irene Demkiw and Roma Hayda were in charge of the program. Besides participation in the ceremonial entrance of St. Nicholas, the children also wrote letters to St. Nick and listened to an ancient legend about the Kyyivan St. Nicholas the Wet.

The children really enjoyed the presents and refreshments prepared for them by the branch's refreshments committee.

Young UNA'ers

Ashley Elizabeth, 9-month-old daughter of Stephanie and Robert Wagle, is the newest member of UNA Branch 292 in Detroit. She was enrolled by her grandmother Sylvia Pericki of Romulus, Mich.

Stephan Michailo Kaczmar says, "Batko Soyuz wants you!" The 1-year-old became a member of UNA Branch 234 in Elizabeth, N.J., when he was enrolled by his parents, Russel and Wendy Kaczmar. His proud grandmother is Anna Kaczmar of Phoenix.

Zenon Robert Mural holds his sister, Lesia Maria, (photo on left) who joined him as a member of UNA Branch 102. They are the children of Robert and Christine Mural. Stefan Petro Bajko (right), son of Peter and Zorica Bajko, also is among the youngest member of the branch in Ohio. All three children were enrolled by their grandparents Petro and Olha Bajko.

Matthew and Theresa Lytwyn, children of Petro and Susan Lytwyn, were enrolled into UNA Branch 434 in Montreal by their grandmother Sophia Lytwyn.

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