Tatiana Lydia Demchuk

Tatiana “Tania” Demchuk, 77, of Cary, NC, passed away on Thursday, July 26, 2018 at her residence. A native of Lviv, Ukraine, she was born on August 29, 1940 to the late Apollinaire and Tatiana Osadca. In addition to her parents, her husband of 40 years, Wolodymyr “Walter” Demchuk and her sister Ivanna “Tina” Osadca preceded her in death.

Tatiana was the daughter of an architect and an artist. During World War II her family, escaped war-ravaged Ukraine. They lived for several years in a displaced persons camp in Bayreuth, Germany. The Osadca family eventually immigrated to the United States. Tatiana grew up in New York City where she attended Hunter High School and wrote for the school magazine. Self-aware at the age of 18, she contributed the following essay to the high school magazine.

"I am a great little “girl,” demure and inoffensive and some people even think I am jolly. (What they do not know is that every time I laugh or smile, it is only the Pagliacci in me singing “Ridi Pagliacci.”) I am that melancholy."

"My favorite flower is the Scarlet Pimpernel and I like Wagner, My pet questions are who, what, where, when, and why. From this a skilled analyst may conclude that I have a somber character, a funny disposition and a leaning towards journalism. Also, I would like to write someday."

"My greatest gift to society will be a brilliant essay on the folly of essay writing."

She received her undergraduate degree from Barnard College and a Master of Science from Columbia School of Journalism.

She did go on to become an award-winning journalist writing for Newsday, The Washington Post and The Orlando Sentinel Star. She later worked as a public relations specialist on Capitol Hill and for The National Association of Independent Insurers.

With her husband, Walter, she raised two daughters Luba Dean and Tatiana Guy. After moving to Washington D.C., the Demchuk family became very involved in the Washington D.C. Ukrainian Community and Ukrainian Catholic church. Upon retirement Tatiana and Walter moved to Cary North Carolina to be close to their grand-children Stefan and Katherine Guy.

She will be forever remembered for her sweet, melancholy nature and her devilish sense of humor. Her life was fueled by curiosity. She could pull a life story out of anyone. Her greatest joys were her family and friends. Her passions were: entertaining, travel, going to the movies, hunting for treasures at garage sales and reading the newspaper. Because one of her favorite newspaper sections was the Obituaries, we hope this one makes her smile and that she would agree that she had a well-lived and interesting life.

Surviving are: daughters Luba Dean and husband Maurice of Chatsworth, CA, Tatiana Guy and husband David of Cary; Grand-children Stefan and Katherine Guy. Sister Christina Pauksis and husband Ivars of Franklin, New York. Also surviving is best friend, Roma Danysh of Washington DC, as well as: nieces Iness Snider, Alina Pauksis, Nadia Jaworsky, nephew Robert Gulay, grand-nieces Romany Snider and Laef Pauksis and grand-nephews Robert, Mark and Eric Gulay and Chris Snider.

Missing her, too, will be her beloved dog Mishka.

A visitation, with a parastas service (prayer service), will be held Friday, August 3, 7:00-8:30PM at Brown Wynne Funeral Home, 200 SE Maynard Rd. Cary, NC

A funeral mass will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday, August 4, at St. Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church at 2510 Piney Plains Rd. Cary, NC 27518. Father Mark Shuey will officiate. Burial will follow in Wake Memorial Park, Cary. Afterward the family will receive friends and loved ones at the home of Tatiana and David Guy, 203 Homestead Dr, Cary, NC 27513.

For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to Special Theatre Arts of Raleigh (S.T.A.R) , c/o Carolyn Esbenshade, 4009 Bankshire Lane, Raleigh, NC 27603.

Tributes may be made to the family at www.BrownWynneCary.com.

***An Explanation of Ukrainian Funeral Traditions***

A Ukrainian Catholic Funeral service traditionally has three parts. The Parastas, or Prayer Service, The Funeral and the Burial.

The Parastas or Prayer Service usually takes place on the evening before the funeral service. The vigil is a long-standing custom that enables the bereaved to pray for the deceased and to reflect on the Christian meaning of life as God created it. The service includes viewing of the body and the Parastas ceremony (which lasts between ½ and 1 hour.) Those in attendance are invited for coffee, small plates and sweets at the funeral home following the service.

The Requiem Divine Liturgy (Funeral) begins with the reception of the funeral procession at the entrance of the church. The clergy incenses the body and reads a passage from one of the four gospels. The clergy then leads the pallbearers and family with the casket into the church. The casket is placed at the foot of the sanctuary. The family are seated in the front.

The Requiem Divine Liturgy includes psalms and scripture readings that draw attention to God’s work and the importance of the divine Eucharist as spiritual nourishment. The service may be sung or spoken. It lasts between 1 and 1 ½ hours. Incense is commonly used as a symbol of prayers rising to God.

Rite of Interment (Burial) Following the Requiem Divine Liturgy, the funeral procession of cars proceeds to the cemetery for the final service and burial. At the ceremony, a short Panakhyda (prayer service of committal) is offered. The priest then casts earth and ashes upon the casket as a reminder that we are all earth, dust and ashes and that, according to the will of God, we will return to the earth once again. The priest then makes the sign of the cross at the head, feet and both sides of the casket thus symbolically sealing the grave until the second coming of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

The family often chooses to host a gathering after the interment.