OBITUARY: Daniel Slobodian, longtime leader of Kerhonkson community, Soyuzivka manager (03/06/05)

OBITUARY: Daniel Slobodian, longtime leader of Kerhonkson community, Soyuzivka manager

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - Daniel Slobodian, longtime leader of the Ukrainian community in Kerhonkson, N.Y., and one of the pioneers and first manager of Soyuzivka, the upstate New York resort of the Ukrainian National Association, died on February 26 in Kingston, N.Y., at the age of 86.

Mr. Slobodian played a leading role in Ukranian community life in Kerhonkson, a small town in the Shawangunk Mountains, and site of the Soyuzivka resort, which under his stewardship, grew into a large and vibrant Ukrainian resort, attracting summer guests from throughout North America.

In the 1950s Mr. Slobodian, working under the leadership of UNA President Dmytro Halychyn, conducted a search for a resort and senior retirement home for UNA members on the East Coast. He subsequently oversaw the conversion of Soyuzivka from a sanitarium to a resort, culminating in Soyuzivka's grand opening in July 1952. Mr. Slobodian's affiliation with Soyuzivka spanned two decades.

As a founding trustee of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, Mr. Slobodian was instrumental in overseeing the process of building a modern church structure to meet the needs of the resort's growing number of summer guests and the area's permanent residents' community. The church's innovative design by architect Radoslav Zuk of Montreal was among those by the award-winning architect to be featured in leading international architectural journals. The church was completed in 1976.

Mr. Slobodian was born February 3, 1919, in Philadelphia, to Roman Slobodian of Nastasiv, Ukraine, and Anna Oleksa of Northampton, Pa. He was reared and schooled in Elizabeth, N.J. Mr. Slobodian graduated from New York University with a degree in business administration in 1940.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a first lieutenant in the 101st Regiment, 26th Infantry Division, in Gen. George Patton's 3rd Army.

He was wounded while serving in France and subsequently was awarded a Purple Heart. He retired with the rank of captain.

Mr. Slobodian was active in various Ukrainian community organizations since his youth. He was a member of the Ukrainian Youth Chorus of New York and New Jersey, actively led a Ukrainian folk dance group in Elizabeth, N.J., which performed at the New York World's Fair in 1939 and 1940, and also was a member of the renowned Koshetz Choir during its 1940 tour.

Soon after completing his military service, Mr. Slobodian was elected president of the Ukrainian Youth League of North America. Later he became the first manager of Soyuzivka and then co-manager with Walter Kwas.

As the Ukrainian community around Soyuzivka grew, from a handful of permanent residents to nearly 200 families now in residence, Mr. Slobodian remained active, helping to establish local branches of the largest Ukrainian diaspora organizations such as the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.

He was a founding trustee of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church, and remained a trustee of the church for 17 years.

Mr. Slobodian was also active on the Ellenville Hospital Board and in the Lions Club, where he worked with other local resort hotel managers to keep Catskill area businesses running effectively and in cooperation with one another. A member of the Lions Club for over 35 years, he served as its treasurer, vice-president and president.

He was also a chairman of the Town of Wawarsing Zoning Board for 21 years. Even after his retirement from the board, he appeared before the town board on many occasions to propose improvements.

As noted in the Times Herald-Record obituary of February 27, Mr. Slobodian, in his almost 50 years in Kerhonkson, quickly became the English-speaking representative for the Ukrainian community, acting as a key speaker or master of ceremonies at various events, including the annual "I Love N.Y." festival. He always introduced political candidates to the Ukrainian community, and was often the speechwriter for them in presentations at the N.Y. State Capitol and at Ukrainian-related events.

In 1998 a testimonial dinner in Mr. Slobodian's honor was held at Soyuzivka on September 27, to mark his lifelong service to the Ukrainian and local communities. Among the attendees were family members, friends, colleagues and fellow UNA'ers, including UNA President Ulana Diachuk and former UNA Supreme President Joseph Lesawyer, and Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-.N.Y.).

A feature article about the tireless community activist was published in the October 3, 1998, issue of The Times-Herald Record under the headline "Ukrainian patriarch honored; Slobodian a Kerhonkson institution."

A panakhyda service for Mr. Slobodian was held Sunday, February 27, at the H.B. Humiston Funeral Home. Funeral services were offered on Monday, February 28, at Holy Trinity Ukrainian Church, with the Rev. Volodymyr Piso officiating. Burial was at Pine Bush Cemetery in Kerhonkson.

Mr. Slobodian is survived by his wife of 41 years, Anna (née Lewocka) Slobodian; two daughters: Olenka Castelli and her husband, Daniel, of Portland, Conn.; and Roma L. Halatyn and her husband, Michael, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.; a brother, Harry Slobodian and his wife, Ann; and three grandchildren, Kate, Suzanna and Zoe.

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