Katherine Huculak

Katherine (Kay) Huculak, nee Marcyniuk, passed with hope and faith in the Lord on 30 October 2019 in Vernon B.C. at the age of 95 years.

Katherine is survived by daughter Marion McAreavy and family, daughter Teresa, son Darryl (Selena) and their children, son Larry (Archbishop Lawrence). She also leaves her daughter -in-law Patti Huculak and family, her sister Elsie Linder and family, and sister Natalie (Edward) Schrader and family.

Katherine was predeceased by her infant son Gregory (11 December 1961), her husband Andrew (9 January 1974), her mother Maria Marcyniuk (30 November 1980), her father Dmytro Marcyniuk (20 November 1985), her eldest son Christopher (27 September 2008), and her granddaughter Heather (29 December 2012).

Katherine was born in Ukraine on 15 November 1923, and immigrated to Canada on 29 June 1929. She was raised in Edmonton where she was very active in Ukrainian Church and cultural life. She married Andrew Huculak on 14 October 1944 and then as a young couple lived in various prairie locations until settling down in Vancouver BC. In 1949 the family moved to Vernon, where she resided for the rest of her life. Much of her time was spent raising the family and when her husband Andrew died in 1974 Katherine also became the breadwinner for the family. However, she did find time to take part in church activities both at the Roman Catholic and Ukrainian Catholic churches in Vernon, especially with the Ukrainian Catholic Woman’s League of Canada where she served as Eparchial (diocesan) president. She was awarded Honoury Life Time Membership in the UCWLC in 2007.

Gifted with a beautiful soprano voice, for many years Katherine led the singing at St. Josaphat Parish in Vernon both at the Sunday Liturgies and other services as well. In 2016 Katherine moved into Canterbury Court. After breaking her hip in a fall and recovering from surgery in hospital, Katherine took up residence at Heron Grove in October 2019 where she resided until the time of her passing.

The family wishes to thank all those who assisted Katherine, especially in the time spent at Canterbury Court, Vernon Jubilee Hospital and Heron Grove.

Services for the late Katherine Huculak will take place at St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 2210 – 40 Ave, Vernon, BC. Evening prayers will be at 7:00 pm on Thursday Nov. 7, 2019 and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 am Friday Nov. 8, 2019. Burial will take place at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Katherine’s memory to St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church (Vernon) or a charity of one’s choice.

May her memory remain eternal – “Vichnaja Pamjat”