David "Dave" Pavluk, was born October 13, 1934, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, the only child of Ukrainian immigrant parents Efim and Anastasia "Nellie" Pavluk. A naturalized US Citizen since 1966, who loved all things American, Dave still held a lifelong sentimental attachment to Canada, particularly since his father had been a serviceman in the Canadian armed forces regiments that fought in Europe (Belgium, France) during the first World War, 1914-1918, Canada being then part of the British Empire, later the Commonwealth. The Pavluk family moved to St. Catharines, Ontario, when Dave was 5 years old, and his father worked in the Hayes steel mill. Dave was a product of a Christian upbringing, having been enrolled in Sunday schools with the Ukrainian Baptist community in Ontario. Dave was a devoted follower of Jesus from his youth and enthusiastically participated in youth choirs, camps, and Bible conferences, while continually encouraging others’ also being fully committed to a sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a true knowledge of His saving grace.
He studied for one year at Bob Jones University, then went on to engineering studies at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, eventually graduating with his Bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1957. Back to the Canadian-Ukrainian immigrant community is where he would then go to find his mate Sonia, whose families had known each other and been close since before they were born. From one-time cradle and sandbox playmates, Dave and Sonia would go on to become life-partner and soulmates for the next 65 years. In the first years of marriage, they lived in Detroit, Michigan, where Dave worked for General Motors. Sonia taught school. Dave also continued his engineering studies, completing a master’s degree in engineering from Wayne State University
in 1966. Three children, Nancy, Jonathan and Jim were to be born in the Detroit years, while Dave worked in the automotive industry, variously with GM, Chrysler, and Ford, until 1969, when Sonia, Dave and their three children moved to Greenville, South Carolina. Dave served as Department Head of Mechanical Engineering at Greenville Technical College for 23 years, where Dave’s exacting standards were legendary in the engineering department (students still using slide rules and calculations on paper before desk calculators and computers became familiar accoutrements). Dave was instrumental in bringing new industries to the Upstate area. Dave always loved Greenville and enjoyed discovering and promoting Greenville’s newest attractions and modern developments, especially through his own land development investments. The Pavluk family was active at Hampton Park Baptist Church, as charter members since the move from Hampton Avenue in 1971, through 50+ years of association with church activities and services, including hosting visiting speakers and missionaries, as well as the Christian school, where the Pavluk children attended in the early years. He spent his retirement years continuing land development, traveling, and always volunteering as an usher at Hampton Park.
Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Sonia (Sedlar); three children: Nancy Blough (Hudson) of Greer; Jonathan (Donna) of Arlington, Virginia; and Jim (Luellen) of Greenville; four grandchildren: Anna Michael (Maurice), David, Ashley, and Carson; and great-grandchildren Nikita, Catalina, and Isadora. He was predeceased by one grandson, Taylor Blough.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, from 4:00 - 6:00 PM at Mackey Mortuary (311 Century Dr, Greenville, SC) and also on Thursday, May 5, 2022, from 12:30 - 1:15 PM at Hampton Park Baptist Church (874 State Park Rd, Greenville, SC) followed by a funeral service at 1:30 PM. A committal service will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2022, from 3:00 - 4:00 PM at Woodlawn Memorial Park (1 Pine Knoll, Dr., Greenville, SC). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Dave Pavluk, to the ABWE Ukraine Crisis Fund. https://www.abwe.org/work/projects/ukraine-crisis
The Pavluk family would like to thank the staff of Rolling Green Village and Interim Hospice Care for their loving support and care of our dad in his final days.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mackeycenturydrive.com for the Pavluk family.
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