OBITUARIES (11/17/96)

OBITUARIES

Ukrainian Cree activist in Canada dies at the age of 60

by Christopher Guly

OTTAWA - A Ukrainian Cree activist who was one of the unelected Canadians appointed to the Privy Council died in Ottawa after suffering a massive heart attack on October 19. James W. Bourque was 60.

Former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney named Mr. Bourque a privy councillor in July 1992, during Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations, which were attended by Queen Elizabeth II.

Normally, the Privy Council - designed as an advisory body to the crown - is composed of the prime minister, his Cabinet, the governor general (the queen's representative) and the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Four years ago, Mr. Mulroney stepped beyond those parameters to recognize 17 Canadians for their public service. Mr. Bourque was among them.

Indeed, the large man from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT), made his mark on life in Canada's North.

Born in Wandering River, Alberta, the son of Mary Gordichuk, who died nine years ago and whose own parents emigrated to Canada from Ukraine, Mr. Bourque served as president of the Northwest Territories Metis Nations from 1980 to 1982, and founded the Fur Institute of Canada in 1984.

A decade later, he was named co-director of policy for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.

Recently, Mr. Bourque established the Center for Traditional Knowledge in Ottawa, which promoted learning from different global perspectives.

"He was very proud of his Ukrainian heritage and often spoke about his mother to us," said Mr. Bourque's son Edwin, at 26 the youngest of his four children.

"He was a workaholic, but he was very devoted to his family and his happiest times were spending time with them, especially at Christmas, when he would always make sure there was Ukrainian food, like cabbage rolls, served."

Following a private funeral service in Ottawa, Mr. Bourque's remains were cremated. A memorial service, at which NWT Premier Don Morin was among the guests, was held at the Legislative Assembly in Yellowknife on October 25.

Orest M. Pawluk, physician-psychiatrist, 72

MOORESTOWN, N.J. - Dr. Orest M. Pawluk succumbed to a massive heart attack here on October 6. He had been a physician-psychiatrist in this small community since 1952.

Dr. Pawluk was born on September 21, 1924, in Pomoriany, Ukraine. He completed his primary and secondary education in Lviv, and in 1941 commenced medical studies there at the medical faculty of Lviv University. After being forced to leave Ukraine in 1944, he continued his medical studies at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, from which he graduated with a degree of doctor of medicine in 1948.

After resettlement in the United States in 1949, Dr. Pawluk completed his internship and residency at medical institutions in Delaware and later specialized in psychiatry in New Jersey. After receiving his state license, he practiced psychiatry in New Jersey for almost 45 years. Dr. Pawluk's particular interests were in the areas of youth and their emotional problems.

Well-known in his community, he was loved not only by his family but also by his patients and friends for his professional attitude and readiness to help those in need - regardless of whether medical or non-medical difficulties arose.

Dr. Pawluk was a member of national and local professional and civic organizations, and contributed to them with his time and financial support. His particular interest in recent years was Ukrainian children suffering from diabetes ("Cherkasy Project"). Eager to learn throughout life, he studied antiques, paleontology of the pre-Columbian era, as well as Byzantine and Ukrainian iconography. He personally crafted over 50 icons in wood.

Dr. Pawluk is survived by his wife of 48 years, Anita (nee Pankiw); daughter Monica with her husband, Tom; two grandchildren, Alex (Sasha) and Katya; his 93-year-old mother, Maria Stasiuk; and sister Anisja P. Gill with her family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of the deceased may be made to: Ukrainian Diabetes Project (Cherkasy), 1954 Diablo Blvd., Suite A, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.

Walter Kosonocky, engineering pioneer, 64

SKILLMAN, N.J. - Walter F. Kosonocky, a pioneer in solid-state electronics, died of a heart attack at the age of 64 on November 2.

At the time of his death, Dr. Kosonocky was distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering, foundation chair of opto-electronics and solid state circuits, and director of the electronic imaging center at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, N.J. (his alma mater), where he taught for the last nine years.

Prior to his affiliation with NJIT, Dr. Kosonocky worked as leading researcher at the RCA-David Sarnoff Laboratories in Princeton for 35 years. He held 69 patents for his pioneering work in solid state electronics, including laser and charge-coupled device technology.

Born in Sieradz, Poland, on December 15, 1931, he fled to Germany during World War II with his father, Roman, and brother Steven before immigrating to the United States in 1948.

Dr. Kosonocky earned his undergraduate and master's degrees at the former Newark College of Engineering (now NJIT), and his doctorate in engineering science from Columbia University in 1965.

During his lifetime, Dr. Kosonocky was honored with many awards for his achievements, including: membership in the National Academy of Engineering, 1992; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers J.J. Ebers Award, 1985 "for pioneering and innovative contributions to the development of charge-coupled devices and Schottky-barrier infrared image sensors," and fellow award 1976 "for contributions to solid-state logic, memory, and imaging." He was inducted into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame in 1991.

Dr. Kosonocky, a resident of Skillman, died of a heart attack while attending a gala fund-raiser for NJIT at the Harborside office complex in Jersey City, N.J.

A memorial service was held at the Kimble Funeral Home in Princeton, N.J., on November 5, with funeral services at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in South Bound Brook, N.J., on November 6.

Dr. Kosonocky is survived by his wife, Sinaida; four children, George, Maria, Stephen and Anna, three grandchildren, Gregory, Julianna and Griffin; and a brother, Steven Kosonocky.