OBITUARY: Barbara Gruchowsky, 105, oldest member of Florida's Ukrainian community (10/28/01)

OBITUARY: Barbara Gruchowsky, 105, oldest member of Florida's Ukrainian community

NORTH PORT, Fla. - Barbara Gruchowsky, 105, the oldest member of the Ukrainian community in North Port and one of the oldest individuals who made their home in Southwest Florida, died here on July 30.

Born November 25, 1895, in the Ukrainian province of Halychyna, then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Mrs. Gruchowsky, née Michaeluk, came to this country as a young girl before World War I. She moved to North Port from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1985, with her daughter Stacy Brodin, now deceased.

While in New York City, Mrs. Gruchowsky was active in the Ukrainian community as a charter member of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America and as one of the original members of St. George Ukrainian Catholic Parish.

A long-time resident of the Quality Health Care Center in North Port, she was also one of the original members of the Ukrainian Catholic parish in North Port. A memorial tribute to the late Mrs. Gruchowsky appeared in the North Port Sun on August 8 under the heading "A long-time resident has left us," penned by Atanas Kobryn as part of his regular column for the newspaper.

A panakhyda service was held at the Farley Funeral Home in North Port on July 31, with the Rt. Rev. Wolodymyr Woloszczuk officiating. Another panakhyda service was held on August 2 in New York City at the Yarema Funderal Home. Divine liturgy for the deceased was celebrated at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in Manhattan, where the late Mrs. Gruchowsky and her family worshipped for many years.

She was laid to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, N.Y., next to her husband of 53 years, Daniel, who died in 1969.

After the burial, the family gathered for a traditional luncheon, or "tryzna," during which each member of the family gave a tribute in memory of the deceased, emphasizing her generous nature and her characteristically caring and positive attitude to family and friends.

The late Mrs. Gruchowsky is survived by her daughter Dorothy G. Wylder and son-in-law John Wylder of Vacaville, Calif., as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.

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