Mrs. Kataryna (nee Opelia) Kurniawka, 102, of North Port, FL passed away at her daughter's home, on October 18, 2021. Kataryna was born September 29, 1919, in the village of Kotsuriv, Ukraine, to parents Zachary Opelia and Anna Dyka Opelia. On June 19, 1942, while living in Polish occupied Ukraine, Kataryna & Stephan Kurniawka were married and welcomed their first son Volodymyr on Easter Sunday in April 1943. Later, during World War II, due to Kataryna and Stephan’s resistance toward both occupying forces of Russia and Germany, the couple fled their homeland, leaving their three-month-old son, Volodymyr, in the care of Kataryna’s parents for his safety.
Upon entering Germany, Kataryna and her husband, Stephan were constrained and forced to work for a farmer, who treated them very badly and barely fed them. Kataryna tried to get permission to visit home in order to bring her son to Germany but was denied. After Germany surrendered, American soldiers came to the farm and rescued them. They were taken to a displaced persons camp, but escaped when they heard all "Soviet" persons were being transported back. Kataryna and Stephan escaped several more times until they were brought to a displaced persons camp in Winzer, Germany, where their second son, Ihor, was born in 1948. After five years in Germany, a second cousin, Olia Zakharko, happily agreed to sponsor them in America. On June 24, 1949, their boat docked in Boston, MA, where they were met by Kataryna's cousin's husband and then traveled together to New York City. After a few months, they got jobs and a one-room apartment in Manhattan. Once they were more established, they moved to a bigger apartment and had two more children: Anna, in 1951, and Steven, in 1956. Kataryna was employed cleaning offices in the evening at Cone Mill Co., and Stephan, after doing several different jobs, began working as a house wrecker. It was a dangerous and strenuous job, but it paid better than the other jobs. They sent their children to the Ukrainian Catholic School, Ukrainian Saturday School, the Ukrainian American Youth Association, and attended services at St. George's Ukrainian church. Missing their family, they immersed themselves in the Ukrainian community and youth associations. Every friend became family. Every adult was considered an aunt or uncle to their children.
Kataryna and Stephan worked hard and saved their money. A few years later, they were able to purchase a home in Irvington, NJ. As in New York, Kataryna and Stephan were very active in the Ukrainian community in New Jersey: the Ukrainian American Youth Association (Parent's Committee); Ukrainian Congress Committee; and their church, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church. Kataryna was an active member of the Women's Association for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine and belonged to the Society of the Blessed Mother Mary.
After Kataryna's husband became ill with terminal cancer and passed away in 1981, she moved to North Port, FL, where there also was a growing Ukrainian community and a Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Eventually, the community was also able to build a Catholic church, the Presentation of the Most Holy Mother of God Ukrainian. Kataryna not only became a member but donated one of the large stained glass windows, a depiction of St. Julianna. She continued to be active in the church as well as in the Women's Association for the Defense of Four Freedoms for Ukraine, Inc.
Kataryna was blessed to live a long life of 102 years. When asked what was her secret, she said, "I love people. I love family. I love God. I love life." As you can see, the word she repeated most was love.
Kataryna loved America and was very grateful that she was able to live here. She became a citizen as soon as she was allowed by law. In all these years of living in America she never forgot her roots, her Ukrainian heritage, language, traditions, and religion. Most importantly, she never forgot her son, Volodymyr and the rest of her family still living in Ukraine. Like many refugees or immigrants, Kataryna would constantly send care packages and money. Using this aid, her son was able to build a brick house, where he and his family could live.
Kataryna tried many times to bring her son to America but was always refused by the Soviet government. Desperate, Kataryna and Stephan found a lawyer in Poland who had a plan. Volodymyr was a young teenager. This lawyer was going to pretend to be Volodymyr's uncle. A visit to the "uncle" was arranged. The plan was that once Volodymyr got to Poland, papers, which were already drawn up, would make him a Polish citizen, and then he would be whisked off to America. Everything was in order. All that was needed was a signature from Volodymyr's grandmother, giving her permission for this visit. Volodymyr's grandmother refused because, she felt as if he was her son, and she had raised him. And so, Volodymyr remained in Ukraine. He got married and had four sons. Kataryna was afraid to return to Ukraine because according to the Soviet law she was still considered a Soviet citizen and could be forced to stay. After 26 years, Kataryna did return and was able to see her son for the first time since he was three months old. Kataryna made many more visits to see Volodymyr and her family. The last one was when she was almost 90 years old.
Kataryna lived a long life of 102 years and had many happy moments but there were also many devastating, unbearable moments. She was predeceased by her parents, Zachary Opelia and Anna Dyka Opelia. Her husband Stephan passed away in 1981 after a long battle with cancer. Her most heart wrenching moments were when all three of her sons died within a few years of each other. First, her youngest son, Steven passed away on Good Friday 2012; a year later her oldest son, Volodymyr, passed away in Ukraine; and then, unexpectedly, her son Ihor passed away the day after Mother’s Day 2015. Her son, Volodymyr passed away on October 18, 2013, and so did Kataryna, October 18, 2021, eight years later, to the day. Kataryna is also predeceased by three grandsons: Volodya, Stephan, and Andriy Korniawka, and all of her siblings: sisters, Maryna Khanas and Oksana Shpytko; brothers Mykhajlo, Oleksa and Ivan Opelia; and many, many aunts, uncles, in-laws, cousins and dear friends.
Kataryna is deeply missed and survived by her daughter, Anna Kurniawka; grandchildren Ihor Korniawka (Nadia Mykolajivna), Markian Dashawetz (Emily Carson Dashawetz), Oksana Dashawetz Launer (Josh Launer), Stephanie Kurniawka (Joe Jersets), Kathie Kurniawka Dimovski (Rich Dimovski), and Michelle Campos Siegert (Chris Siegert); great-grandchildren Khrystyna and Marika Korniawka; Volodymyr and Stepan Korniawka; Maya, Julianna and Claudia Launer; Michael J. (MJ) Frangos; Sofia and Scarlett Jersets; and Lucas, Isabelle, and Zachary Dimovski.
She often wondered who would come to her funeral, since so many of her friends and family have passed. But I said, just think of all the people who will be waiting to welcome you, when you get to Heaven. Rest in peace. Eternal Memory. Vichnaya Pamyat.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 pm, October 28, 2021, at St. Andrew’s Church, with a graveside service to follow at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, both located at 141 Sarah Wells Trail, Campbell Hall, NY 10916.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a tax-deductible memorial contribution, made in Mrs. Kataryna Kurniawka's name, to the following:
1. UCCA – New York City Branch - Humanitarian Aid, 203 Second Ave., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10003 Attn: Ivanka Zajac. For more information call 212-228-6840 or go to https://ucca.org
2. Ukrainian American Relief Committee, Inc., 1206 Cottman Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111. For more information call 215-728-1630 or go to uuarc.org/donations-in-memory-of/