OBITUARY: Walter Klymkiw, UNF leader, 74 (12/10/00)

OBITUARY: Walter Klymkiw, UNF leader, 74

by Andrew Gregorovich

WINNIPEG - Walter Klymkiw, one of the giants of Ukrainian Canadian culture, and a leader of both the Ukrainian community in Canada and of the Ukrainian National Federation, died on December 4, in Winnipeg.

Born in Saranchuky, Ternopil region of Ukraine, on October 3, 1926, Volodymyr Petro Klymkiw came to Canada with his parents at the age of 2 and became a Canadian citizen in 1936. He married Marusia Kopychanska in 1952 and had two sons, Myroslav (Slawko), a senior executive with CBC Television in Toronto, and Paul.

Mr. Klymkiw was educated at the University of British Columbia (B.A.) and the University of Manitoba (B.Ed.).

He studied the violin but became fascinated with Ukrainian choral music as a result of study with Olexander Koshetz, the renowned choral conductor for whom the famous Olexander Koshetz Memorial Choir of the Winnipeg UNF was named.

For almost a half a century, since 1951, Mr. Klymkiw worked tirelessly as conductor and artistic director of the Koshetz Choir to achieve the highest level of performance. Under his direction the Koshetz Choir in 1978 made the first of four tours to Ukraine. The choir also gave performances in Western Europe and South America, and many across Canada.

Mr. Klymkiw served as the dominion president of the Ukrainian National Youth Federation in the 1950s and as president of the local branch of the Ukrainian National Federation in St. Boniface, Winnipeg. He also served as president of the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Center (Oseredok) in Winnipeg established by the UNF.

By profession he was a teacher; he became a principal in 1973 and retired in 1983.

Mr. Klymkiw almost singlehandedly raised the caliber of musicianship in the Ukrainian Canadian community. He produced two outstanding CDs, nine cassettes and six records in his capacity as artistic director of the Koshetz Choir.

His latest goal was to publish a two-volume edition of Olexander Koshetz, which together with his beautiful recordings will be a lasting memorial.

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