OBITUARY: John Teluk, former UNA vice-president, professor of economics and finance, 78 (08/18/02)

OBITUARY

John Teluk, former UNA vice-president, professor of economics and finance, 78

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Prof. John Teluk, a former supreme vice-president of the Ukrainian National Association, and a professor of economics and finance for 28 years at the University of New Haven, died on July 13. He was 78.

Prof. Teluk was born on August 25, 1923, in Horodok, Ukraine, and attended Lviv Technical School. He served with the 1st Division of the Ukrainian National Army in 1943-1945. He graduated from the Ukrainian Economic School in Munich in 1949, and held undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Ukrainian Free University and the University of New Haven. He studied toward a Ph.D. at the New School for Social Research.

Prof. Teluk's association with the University of New Haven began while he was still a student there. He later became an adjunct professor, moving up to full professor and dean of the economics department. He retired from the university in 1992. He was also a guest lecturer at Albertus Magnus College.

He was the recipient of several noteworthy research grants, among them grants offered by the G.E. Foundation and the University of Chicago, and was the author of many articles published in the Ukrainian press.

In 1955 Prof. Teluk proposed to New Haven Mayor Richard C. Lee that the Ukrainian national flag be flown from City Hall on January 22 to commemorate the independence of Ukraine declared on January 22, 1918. An official mayoral decree gave New Haven the distinction of being the first U.S. city to fly the Ukrainian flag next to the American flag on what was proclaimed by the mayor as Ukrainian Independence Day. The blue-and-yellow flag was flown every year on that date until after 1991, when Ukraine re-established its independence on August 24 of that year.

The original flag that flew over New Haven City Hall was presented to Ukraine's ambassador to the United States and is on display in a museum in Kyiv.

Prof. Teluk was very active in the Ukrainian National Association. He was the longtime secretary of Branch 414 and for many years headed the New Haven District Committee. He served as the UNA's supreme vice-president in 1970-1974, and as supreme auditor in 1978-1982.

He was active as well in the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, serving in many leadership positions on the local, state and national levels, including as national vice-president. He was chairman of Connecticut's Ukrainian U.S. Bicentennial Committee, and was a member of the Ukrainian community's national Bicentennial Committee.

He served on the executive board of the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, and was a member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society and the Ukrainian American Association of University Professors.

Prof. Teluk was a founder of the Ukrainian Democratic Party of New Haven and was instrumental in having the group endorse many candidates for office. He also served on various city boards, such as the City Plan Commission, and was a familiar figure at the State Capitol, working with a series of the state's governors.

Funeral services for Prof. Teluk took place on July 17 in Kerhonkson. N.Y. Surviving are his wife, Irene (née Soroka); and children, Myroslaw, with his wife, Lidia; Christine, with her husband, Bohdan; and Tetiana; as well as three grandchildren and other family members in the United States, Ukraine and Poland.

The family has requested that memorial donations be made to the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America or the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv.

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