OBITUARY: Stefanie Pawliw,88, survivor of internment operations

TORONTO - Stefanie Pawliw, born Stefa Mileniczuk, was only 15 months old when she was incarcerated as an "enemy alien" along with her parents, Ignace and Mary, in the Spirit Lake concentration camp during Canada's first national internment operations of 1914-1920.

Born in Montreal, February 19, 1914, she died peacefully on January 28 at the age of 88 in Cowansville, Quebec. She was the wife of Simeon Pawliw, whom she married on December 5, 1938. She is survived by their children, Olga, Mary, Anna, Wladyslaw and Peter and seven grandchildren.

Mrs. Pawliw worked with the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association (UCCLA), participating in the unveiling of the first trilingual plaque recalling this episode in Canadian history, placed at Fort Henry, near Kingston, Ontario, on August 4, 1994.

Commenting on her passing, Dr. Lubomyr Luciuk, UCCLA's director of research, said:

"Mrs. Pawliw was a proud Ukrainian Canadian, a innocent child when she was unjustly imprisoned, yet someone who continued to maintain an interest in her heritage and in what happened to her parents and thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans during Canada's first national internment operations.

"She was proud to take part in the first plaque unveiling at Kingston's Fort Henry, knowing that was the site of Canada's first permanent internment camp. Later her health did not allow her to take part in installation ceremonies elsewhere, including the one held at Spirit Lake, near Amos, Quebec. Nevertheless, she maintained a keen interest in how we were working to hallow the memory of the victims of these internment operations and she always encouraged us to continue with our efforts."

Dr. Luciuk added, "We deeply regret that she did not live to see a reconciliation settlement reached with the federal government, particularly since one now seems likely. Most certainly we will remember her and all those others who were needlessly interned on the day when the recognition we have called for is finally secured, for our efforts have always been motivated by the determination to never forget what children like Stefa, and people like her parents, Mary and Ignace, needlessly suffered."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 25, 2003, No. 21, Vol. LXXI

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