Obituary of Anna Shewel

Anna Shewel It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Anna Shewel on July 9, 2009, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was predeceased by loving husband Oleksa. Left to cherish her memory are son Michael (Sharon), daughters Valentina (Rod), Helena (Ian), sister Nadia, grandchildren Mark, Chris (Andrea), Kym (Lincoln), Alana (Chris), David (Amanda), Jordan, Ilya and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Anna was an amazing woman whose zest for life, courageous spirit, strong faith, love and generosity towards others inspired everyone who knew her. She was born on December 19, 1925 in Hluchiw, Ukraine and survived many struggles including war, famine and a brutal Soviet Communist regime. She came to Canada in 1947 with her husband and baby son to build a new life based on peace, love of God, family and friends. Anna was a devoted member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Mary the Protectress, where she taught Sunday and Ukrainian Schools and was a counselor at Veselka Camp in Gimli. She was past president of the Kniahynia Olha Branch, Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada (UWAC), secretary for the Canadian Ukrainian Congress and for Manitoba Provincial UWAC. She received a Mother of the Year award by the youth group CYMK, a Metropolitan's Award by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, and a national award for dedicated service to UWAC. Anna was recently interviewed and filmed as a survivor of the Holodomor (famine genocide) in Ukraine 1932-33. The film is a documentary about the survivors and will be donated to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. Prayers will be said on Sunday, July 12, 7:00 p.m. and Funeral Service will be held on Monday, July 13, 10:00 a.m. both at St. Mary the Protectress Cathedral, 820 Burrows Ave. with interment to follow in Glen Eden Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire donations in Anna's memory may be made to St. Mary the Protectress Roof Repair Fund, 820 Burrows Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X OR2.