EUGENIA NADIA POHORECKY

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EUGENIA NADIA POHORECKY JOHNSON With great sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved "Genya" (Eugenia Nadia Pohorecky Johnson), formerly of Winnipeg. After a long period of ill health, Genya passed away in Prince George, BC on December 24, 2014. Eugenia was born on March 5, 1933 in Edmonton, Alberta, to Amelia and Michael Pohorecky. Her father, Michael, was the founder and editor of "The New Pathway" newspaper . Genya grew up in a large and loving family within a vibrant intellectual home atmosphere. She was always a good student. She went to St. John's High School in Winnipeg, and graduated with a BA from the University of Manitoba, and a BLS from the University of Toronto. After her marriage to Dr. Vernon Johnson, from Brandon, she worked at the U. of M. Medical College Library, before moving to Flin Flon. In 1963, the family moved to Prince George, BC. In 1973, they moved to a farm on the outskirts of Prince George. She loved Nature, nurturing the plants and animals on the farm. It was a magical place which captured her heart and would remain her home for the rest of her life. All her life, Eugenia cherished her Ukrainian heritage. She continued traditions of culture and cuisine, as well as language with her family. She maintained the ancient cultural practices of the festivals. Socially conscious, Eugenia was a consistently progressive political thinker, and formed chapters of the VOW in Flin Flon and Prince George, where she organized women to make baby clothes, to be distributed in Vietnam by the Red Cross. Eugenia was a notable peace-activist taking part in marches against the nuclear arms race and was a member of the BC Civil Liberties Association. She led the "Citizens for a Clean River" campaign to stop Prince George from polluting the Fraser River with raw sewage, a campaign which achieved its goal, and local people to this day benefit from clean water and by-product-generated heat as a result of her efforts. Those left behind to mourn her passing include Vernon Johnson; daughter April Johnson (of Haida Gwaii) and Maia Stepenberg, (Daniel); grandchildren, Rafael, Dante and Isaac (of Argentina); sister Irene Pohorecka, (Zen Gawron), and many nieces and nephews living both in Canada and abroad. Genya was predeceased by her parents, sister Natalia and brothers, Orest, Roman and Zenon Pohorecky. In the spring, Vernon will transport her ashes to Manitoba for interment in the family plot. A family memorial gathering will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2015.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 25, 2015