OBITUARY: Lydia Smyk, 43, beloved teacher at St. John's School in Newark, N.J. (02/24/02)

OBITUARY

Lydia Smyk, 43, beloved teacher at St. John's School in Newark, N.J.

NEWARK, N.J. - Lydia Wasylenko Smyk, a beloved teacher here at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic School, died on February 14 after a long battle with cancer. She was 43.

The daughter of Vera (née Romanenko) and Rostyslav Wasylenko, she was born in Toronto on December 6, 1958. She moved with her family to Ottawa, where she spent all of her childhood. As Mr. and Mrs. Wasylenko were actors and teachers, the young Miss Wasylenko performed regularly at school and Ukrainian community functions. She was very active in local organizations and youth programs, and was a member of the Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization and a star dancer with the Dnipro Ukrainian folk dance troupe.

In high school Miss Wasylenko excelled academically and was known for her organizational skills: she skipped a grade in school and was voted president of her senior class.

At age 18 she went on to study at the University of Ottawa and later transferred to the University of Toronto, graduating with a degree in English literature.

After marrying George Smyk of Detroit, she moved with him to New York City, where Ms. Smyk worked in the archives of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences and then at the New York advertising offices of The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper. (The marriage ended in divorce in 2001.)

Ms. Smyk became active in the Ukrainian community of the Newark, N.J., area after the Smyk family moved to nearby Orange. She was especially involved in the work of Branch 75 of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, serving in various branch posts, including president, social welfare chair and special events chair. Ms. Smyk was especially known for her work in writing the script for the branch's annual gala fund-raiser, which featured a dance and humorous musical/floor show performed by the local "Soyuzianky" (UNWLA members), their spouses and friends.

It was in 1991 that Ms. Smyk found her true calling when she began teaching at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic School. She taught at the parochial school for 11 years, during that time teaching fourth grade and kindergarten. She was known at the school also as the organizer of annual St. Valentine's Day dances and Halloween parties.

During the last three years Ms. Smyk also worked with the editorial staff of The Ukrainian Weekly on its UKELODEON section for children and youths. It was Ms. Smyk who came up with the name for the monthly section inaugurated on Valentine's Day 1999, illustrated the "Mykola Myshka" feature and prepared "Mishanyna," as well as articles bearing her byline.

Ms. Smyk taught at St. John's School through December 4, 2001, when, at the end of the school day, due to the severity of her illness she was admitted to the hospital. She remained hospitalized through January 18 and after that entered a hospice, where she died on February 14.

A parastas (memorial service) was offered at St. John the Baptist Church by the Revs. Bohdan Lukie (pastor), Leonid Malkov and Frank Szadiak (former pastor of St. John's) on Sunday evening, February 17, with many members of the St. John's School community, as well as friends and relatives from near and far, in attendance. A eulogy was offered in the name of both the Mothers' Club of St. John's School and Branch 75 of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America by Ksenia Rakowsky. Roma Lisovich spoke on behalf of Ms. Smyk, who had asked that thanks be conveyed to the community for its nurturance and support.

The funeral liturgy was offered the next day at St. John's Church with the Revs. Lukie and Szadiak officiating. A final farewell on behalf of St. John's students, who participated in the liturgy, was delivered by Anna Skuza, an eighth grader, and fellow UNWLA member Olia Stashchyshyn and tenor Roman Tsymbala sang "Ave Maria" during the service.

Burial was at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J., followed by a memorial repast, or "tryzna," attended by family, friends and colleagues of Ms. Smyk.

Surviving are Ms. Smyk's children, Dmytro, Roksolana and Larissa; her father, Rostyslav Wasylenko, with his wife, Ija; stepsister Roma Lisovich, with her children, Kira and Alexander; and a half-sister in Ukraine, Laryssa Shwed. Ms. Smyk was predeceased in 1991 by her mother, who also died on Valentine's Day.

Memorial donations may be made out to "Smyk Children's Fund," (Account No. 310199), and mailed to Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union, 734 Sanford Ave., Newark NJ 07106.

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