Obituary of Nina Kosyk

<b>Please click on the Tribute Wall to see a video tribute for Nina</b> <b>PANAHYDA</b><i>~officiated by Very Reverend Father Roman Kocur~</i><b> LIVE TUESDAY, MAY 12, 2020 AT 1:00 PM: https://youtu.be/KIUvzc6ipw8</b> <b>FUNERAL SERVICE LIVE WEDNESDAY, MAY 13th 2020, AT 1:00 PM: https://youtu.be/YinQcRQaYFY</b> (February 27, 1931 - May 7, 2020) We are deeply saddened and with broken hearts that we announce the passing of wife, mother and grandmother Nina (Shugalo) Kosyk at the age of 89. She fought valiantly to her final breath with C.O.P.D. Nina (daughter) is pre-deceased by her parents, William and Olga Shugalo (nee Zacharchuk), sisters Vera and Hope, brother Nicholas. Loving and devoted wife of Dmytro and loving mother of Peter (Katherine), Sonya (pre-deceased Mike McMullin), William (Catherine). Cherished Babtia of Natasha, Larissa (Eric Laing), Benjamin and Matthew. She is survived by her brother Edward (Brenda) Shugalo and Sheila Turgeon (late Nicholas), godson and nephew Mike (Roma) Kosyk together with so many loving nieces and nephews from British Columbia She was born in the village of Zelwa in the province of Grodno, Belarus. Landed in Canada in May 1939 (age 8) and first settled in Jaroslav, Manitoba. She would tell larger than life stories of their homestead time in Jaroslav –bitter cold winters, sharing boots, no electricity, trudging through hip high snow on the long trek to school and being chased by wolves on their way back home. She recalls her father taking an old bicycle and cycling (on dirt roads) all the way to Winnipeg on a number of occasions to meet with family friends who would later help them transition to home in Winnipeg –remembering how their dog would start barking and howling when he was miles away letting them know he was near as they anxiously awaited his return to their hut “in the middle of nowhere”. She and her family moved (gratefully) to Winnipeg after several years of homesteading. Fond memories of her teenage years in Winnipeg …winning jitterbug/jive contests, theatre attendant (enabling her to watch all the new release movies) summers working at the Banff Springs Hotel -in all its grandeur…years later on a family train adventure (summer 1962) on the way to Vancouver –she ensured a several night stay at the hotel –at check in -when they found out that she worked there as a teenager –upgraded her and her family to a mountain view grande suite – she gleefully toured us through the entire hotel and the amazing neighboring sites and resorts Chateau Lake Louise and Jasper Lodge –her summer playground. Prior to getting married she moved to Toronto where she worked as a clerk for the T. Eaton Company –where she lived with Leonilla Herzik’s family –and fondly remembers weekly Sunday drives with Lee’s dad and family (in the their lovely Desoto) along the lakeshore from Toronto to Burlington –where they would have the most memorable footlong hotdogs ever and ice cream at a famous place called “Easterbrooks” –which to her surprise still existed 60 years later –was exactly the same as she remembered –and delighted in having the same hotdog and ice cream –while reminiscing. She worked in Toronto until she was invited to visit the Kosyk family (at the urging of some family friends in Winnipeg) to visit with this young man Dmytro and his family in Amherstburg –and within a month on June 19, 1954 she was married to the love of her life Dmytro Kosyk and so moved to Amherstburg, Ontario. She spoke fondly of assisting on the Home and School Board at Anderdon Public School when her children were small, took on the role as secretary and delighted in exercising and applying her exceptional clerical skills. A long time active member of St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Windsor where she sang in the choir and also a long time member of the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada (Lesia Ukrainka Windsor Branch) from when the church was completed in 1962. She enjoyed embroidering and was very fond of writing pysanky (Ukrainian Easter Eggs) –and sharing her amazing pysanka skills by teaching classes at St Vlads for years. She got a real thrill from gifting her masterful Pysanky to teachers, friends and family. Her melt in your mouth khrusty (angel wings) at various events throughout the years are fondly remembered. In the summer she would always be found working in her vegetable and flower gardens and was proud of her pickles and flowers. In the fall she was passionate about wild mushroom picking and hunting –she would be overjoyed upon discovering a patch-it was like she had struck gold. She loved to dance and had a wonderfully joyful, always friendly, welcoming/accommodating personality… and was an eternal optimist. She loved to entertain friends at the house and play HOLA (Ukrainian Card Game). A heartfelt thank you goes out to the nurses and doctors at Metropolitan Hospital ICU for their compassionate care for Nina and their unwavering faith in her will together with their exceptional accommodations with orchestrating video visits, personally relaying and communicating hope, love and reassurance - in this exceptionally challenging time when her family could not physically be at her bedside. Hero’s thanks go to Dr. Rielly Jacobs and nurses Anita, Suzanne, Joe, Mike and Steve She will lovingly and be deeply missed by her best and cherished friend (like a sister) Dorothy Stratichuk –as well as Tonya, Zoya and Helen –and her close and dear Choir, Pysanka and Perogy friends at St Vladimir’s. A Celebration of Life and Love will be held at a future date Arrangements entrusted to Windsor Chapel (Central Chapel) 1700 Tecumseh Rd. E. 519-253-7234. Online condolences and cherished memories may be shared at www.windosrchapel.com If so desired, donations in memory of Nina may be made to: St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Windsor 2000 Tecumseh Road East Windsor Ontario Canada N8W 1E2 Or Canadian Lung Association