Lidia Zacepilo, 97, of Willards passed away Sunday, April 6, 2025, at Coastal Hospice at the Lake surrounded by her family. Born September 30, 1927, in Orel, Russia, Lidia was of German descent and raised German. She was the daughter of the late Adolph and Herta (Schelein) Dause. Their family immigrated to Russia for a better life and opportunity, with freedom of religion and acceptance of German culture under the Czar.
After World War II, Lidia met John at a refugee camp in Landshut, Germany. They married and had two children in Landshut. In 1949, they immigrated to the United States, settling on the Eastern Shore of Maryland primarily as farm workers. A year later, their third child was born. After a few years on the Eastern Shore, the family moved to Baltimore City for a better life and more opportunities. Lidia became a seamstress and John a mechanic. They lived in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel County until their retirement. During their retirement, they moved back to the Eastern Shore for their final days.
She is survived by her three children and their families, George Zacepilo (son) and his wife Nadyia (Senk) Zacepilo, Rose (Zacepilo) Kurinij (daughter) and her husband William, and John Zacepilo (son) and his wife Ursula Zacepilo-Schadeberg; four grandchildren, Tanya Murphy and her husband, Mike and John Kurinij; Alexandra Pires and her husband Miguel, and Mark Zacepilo and his wife Susie. There are five step grandchildren, Phil Bristol and his wife, Esha, Ben Bristol, Annette Bristol and her fiancé, Sam, Natalia and Ihor; ten great-grandchildren, Kiera and Mikey Murphy, Kegan and Caroline Kurinij, and Theodore, Henry, Lincoln and William Pires, and Milly and Emma Zacepilo; five step great-grandchildren, Hunter Gomez-Bristol and Brannon Bristol, and Averie Wilson, Oksana and her husband Luke, and Anastasia and her husband Taras; step great-great-granddaughter, Emilia; sister, Hilda Czeczulin; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, John N. Zacepilo; brothers, Gerhard Dause and Richard Dause; sister, Frieda Stolony.
Lidia was a deeply loving and generous person who became a strong and independent mother. Her life was marked by immense challenges, yet she met each one with courage and determination. At just 11 years old, without a father and eldest brother Gerhard—both were taken away during World War II to Siberia as prisoners in the middle of the night—Lidia stepped into a man’s role, far beyond her young age. She helped her pregnant mother (with Hilda) care for the remaining siblings during the reign of Stalin and communism by working the collective farm with plow horses. That early and heavy responsibility shaped her into the strong, independently minded woman we all came to admire. That fighting strength stayed with her until her final breath. Despite the hardships she faced, Lidia never lost her love of life. She found joy in the company of friends and in playing cards—almost daily—as a way to lift her spirit and ease her pain. She often found comfort in childhood memories, leaning into those lighter moments even when life was overwhelming.
She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who worked tirelessly to pass on her deep sense of love, compassion, and resilience. We are endlessly grateful that all our parents, and especially our mother, made unimaginable sacrifices during the war to bring their families to the free world and a better life.
Lidia’s legacy lives on in the values she instilled in us, in the strength she showed us, and in the love she gave so freely.
A Ukrainian Orthodox Mass will be held Friday, April 25, 2025 at 12 pm at Bounds Funeral Home on 705 East Main Street in Salisbury where friends may visit from 10am- 12pm. Interment will follow in Wicomico Memorial Park.
Pallbearers: John Kurinij, Mark Zacepilo, Kegan Kurinij, Mikey Murphy, Phil Bristol, Ben Bristol.
In lieu of flowers, a donation in Lidia’s name can be made to Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church, P.O. Box 44, Whaleyville, MD 21872 or Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). https://www.lls.org.
Visit www.boundsfuneralhome.com to share stories and memories with the family.
