DOCTOR ROMA ZENOVEA HAWIRKO

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DOCTOR ROMA ZENOVEA HAWIRKO Doctor Roma Zenovea Hawirko passed away, at the age of 91, on March 4, 2011. She leaves behind her niece, Patricia Yaremovich, grandnieces Alexandra and Vanessa Giugliani of Vancouver, and her cousin, Susan Sadoway of Victoria. Roma was born in Winnipeg, MB, in 1919 and grew up with her parents, John and Anna, and her sister, Leonara (all predeceased). Her father valued higher education and encouraged both his daughters to pursue post secondary education which was extraordinary for females in the 1940s. Roma graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Manitoba (1941) and later achieved her Masters (1949) and PhD (1951) in Bacteriology from McGill University, under the tutorship of Professor E.G.D. Murray. Her research has been published and cited in many papers and journals. During her tenure as a professor at the University of Manitoba, Roma guided her students to excellence and exploration and contributed to her community through participation on the board of the Canadian Citizenship Federation and as President of the Altrusa Club of Winnipeg. She was also the chair and founding member of the Language Bank of Winnipeg, a volunteer interpreter's service set up for new and potential Canadian citizens. Roma had a passion for travel and explored many areas around the world - the crater of Mount Etna in Sicily, to the Ellora caves of India, from the shores of Norway to North Cape and the Arctic Circle and many places in between. She was drawn to the art of the places she visited and enjoyed sharing her travel and life experiences through creative writing. When Roma retired she moved to Victoria and kept active with additional travels, walking and book clubs, hosting dinner parties and enjoying local theatre. She was fiercely independent, lived life on her terms and was grateful for the interesting life that came her way. In 2009, Roma established an endowment fund at the University of Manitoba that offers an annual scholarship to a graduate student in the area of microbiology. Roma's legacy will live on through this scholarship fund and through the memories of those that were blessed to know her. No funeral by request. If desired, donations in Roma's memory may be made to a charity of your choice.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 12, 2011