TEKLA (TILLIE) SHEWCHUK

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TEKLA (TILLIE) SHEWCHUK Peacefully on Saturday morning, July 31, 2004, at the Dauphin Personal Care Home, Tekla Shewchuk passed away at the age of 98. Left to mourn her are her five children, Orest (Eva Epton), Sylvia (Thad Snow), Isadore (Lesia Molofiy), Vera (Ray Chernecki) and Steven (Jeanette Prysianiuk). Also left to mourn her passing are 18 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. In addition, she leaves a 99 year old sister-in-law and many nieces and nephews in the village of Krevichy, Ukraine. Tekla was born on November 21, 1905 in the village of Krevichy in western Ukraine. She was the youngest daughter in a family of five surviving children. Tekla had two brothers and two sisters. She was predeceased by her husband John S. Shewchuk and her parents, her father Hryhory Mayba in 1909 and her mother Hafiya in 1918. In 1927, Tekla emigrated to Dauphin where her oldest brother, Rev. Ivan Mayba, a parish priest, was already living and had arranged for her immigration. In June 1928, she met and married John, and they moved to a homestead farm 8 miles northeast of Garland in the Zalicia School District. During the years spent farming, Tekla was active in the Womens Association of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Garland. In 1952, they moved to Ethelbert and continued to farm. They also lived briefly in Pine River before moving to Dauphin in 1969. For many years, Tekla helped with making perogies, etc. for the church and various local functions. Over the years, Tekla was an avid and skilled gardener who enjoyed watching her flowers and vegetables flourish year after year. She was also very gifted at many crafts (including cross stitching and crocheting) and won awards for her Ukrainian Easter egg decoration. Tekla loved to cook and bake and her family always looked forward to her elaborate meals. After her husband John passed away in 1981, Tekla lived for 10 years in Ethelbert at the Sunnyside Lodge. Her final move was to the Dauphin Personal Care Home, where she remained until her passing. Tekla was a wonderful mother and Baba, and will be greatly missed. Prayers will take place on Tuesday, August 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sneath-Strilchuk Funeral Home in Dauphin, MB. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 4 at St. Georges Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Interment will follow at the Dauphin Cemetery. If friends wish to make a donation in her memory, it may be forwarded to The Canadian Diabetes Association, Manitoba Division, 102-310 Broadway in Winnipeg or to St. Georges Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Dauphin.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 03, 2004