Obituary of ANNA MURENKO

ANNA MURENKO (NEE HYZ)

Anna passed away peacefully in her 100 year on January 20, 2021.

She will be missed by her daughter Tatiana Willumsen of Okotoks, AB, son Igor (Peggy), daughter Lucie (Joe) Rozmus, great grand-daughters Adriana, Chelsey and Keandra, grand-daughters Jessica (Chris) Magel and Vanessa (Tim ) Matsubara), grandsons Christopher and Andrew (Jenna) Murenko, her extended family in Okotoks and nieces, and nephews in the Ukraine. She was predeceased in 2002 by Alex, her husband of 57 years, and in 2011 by her companion of 9 years Paul Zeaton.

Born in Peremishlya, Ukraine in 1920, she was a child when Stalin instituted the Holodomor/famine genocide that killed over 3 million Ukrainians. She experienced hunger and repression during those years. Later she refused to eat certain foods that reminded her of that period. In 1944, she escaped the Soviets but was captured by Nazis and placed in a forced labour camp in Heidenau. There she worked in a munitions factory making bullets.

She never liked to speak of the horrors of those years and was very upset when films and television brought the grim reality of those years back to life.

In Camp Heidenau, she met and married Alex in 1945. A year later, their daughter Tatiana was born. In 1947 friends in the French underground arranged passage to France. Sponsored by cousins, the family, including grandparents Anna and Anton Murenko immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1952.

Despite the trials of refugee life in Nazi Germany, persecution by the Soviets, and a world war, she maintained her sense of humour, patience and optimism. She loved the freedom and life Winnipeg offered and welcomed the opportunity to work hard and build a new and prosperous life. She doted on her grandchildren, spoiling them and spending many happy hours with them.

Mum had an incredible zest for life and travel. A keen gardener throughout her life, passersby always stopped to admire her flower garden. In her late 60’s, she overcame her fear of water, learned to swim and joined a swim club. In her eighties, she and Paul took numerous trips to the US visiting Paul's children and grandchildren and spent winters in Hawaii. For 60 years she sang soprano in the Sobor church choir until she broke her leg at age 90 and was no longer able to climb the stairs to the choir loft. She loved going carolling and was always ready to lend a helping hand, whether cooking at Camp Veselka or supporting a project of the ladies’ Guild.

In fall of 2012, she finally abandoned independent living and moved into St. Joseph’s Residence. She was always grateful for the care and attention of all the staff who commented on her cheerful disposition and singing. Since family were not allowed to visit during lockdown, it was the caregivers who ensured she had a celebration for her 100 birthday.

Donations in her memory to Sobor (St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Church) or St. Joseph’s Residence are encouraged as they need financial support during the difficult times of Covid.

Funeral Mass for family will be held on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at St. Mary the Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, 820 Burrows Avenue, with Fr. Harkavyi officiating. Interment will follow at Glen Eden Memorial Gardens.