DMYTRO YAREMCHUK DIED

DMYTRO YAREMCHUK October 18, 1914 August 21, 2010 Peacefully, on Saturday, August 21, 2010 at Concordia Hospital, Dmytro Yaremchuk, aged 95 years of Winnipeg. Dmytro Yaremchuk was born in the village Rivnia, rayon Vyzhnytsia, in Bukovyna, (at that time a Province of Austria), presently the Chernivtsi oblast of Ukraine. The son of Nazari and Evdokia Yaremchuk (nee Semaka) he obtained his primary education in Rivnia, and completed his high school education in Chernivtsi, during the Romanian occupation of Bukovyna in 1934. It was in Chernivtsi, at the Romanian State University, that Dmytro studied science and law, graduating with a Law Degree in 1939. After the occupation of Bukovyna by the Soviet Union in June of 1940, and subsequent investigations of his patriotic activities he was forced to flee Bukovyna. The German occupation of Ukraine, 1941-1944 found Dmytro Yaremchuk struggling against the new occupation forces in Lviv and other cities of Western Ukraine. At the end of the Second World War, he took refuge in Western Europe with eventual immigration to Canada to join his cousin, Phillip Semaka, in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1949, where he settled for several years. Dmytro worked as a general laborer until 1954. Following this he was employed as a bookkeeper by Carpathia Credit Union and Kalyna Ukrainian Bookstore. In 1962 Dmytro moved to Edmonton to work as a librarian-aid at the University of Alberta. He was encouraged to pursue this profession, thus, the next two years he studied at the Library School at Ottawa University, graduating cum laude, Bachelor Library Science. He lived in Ottawa from 1963 until his retirement from the National Library of Canada, in 1980. He then returned to Winnipeg to look after his sister-in-law, Olga Semaka, who was in ill health. His time in Winnipeg saw him undertake a great deal of Ukrainian community involvement. He was a contributor (writing articles) to the New Pathway (Winnipeg-Toronto) and Ukrainian Voice (Paris, France) Ukrainian weekly newspapers. Dmytro also coauthored books; Bukovyna, Past Present, a History’ (Paris, 1958), Ukrainians in Berlin’, and Kalyna 75 Years’, among others. He actively participated in Oseredok-Ukrainian Cultural Educational Centre and was a member of its Board of Directors. Dmytro also served on the Boards of Kalyna Cooperative Bookstore and the Olzhych Foundation. Memberships in the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, Ukrainian National Federation and the Shevchenko Foundation, found Dmytro to be an active and vibrant participant. During his lifetime, Dmytro supported many charities and educational institutions including St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg. He found great joy in a 1982 visit to Brazil to visit long lost relatives, including nephews, Enoch and Jonathas Iaremchuc and their families. He reveled in how the family had spread its wings over many continents. Dmytro Yaremchuk was predeceased by his brother, the well known vocal artist of Ukraine, Nazari Yaremchuk and his other brother Bohdan. Dmytro leaves to mourn his family in Ukraine: sister Kateryna (children; Olha, Petro, Olexander); brother Nazari’s children: Nazari, Dmytro and Marijka; Olha Semaka, a niece and Volodymyr Lukyniuk, a nephew. In Brazil: Enoch and Jonathas Iaremchuc and cousins Ana, Prokop, Dmytro and Nikolay and their respective families including Nestor, Neuza, Terezinha, Ana Carolina and Deborah. Dmytro also leaves to mourn, friends and colleagues, young and old, from Winnipeg and all over the world. The family extends special thanks to all those who have helped Dmytro during the last few years of declining health. Funeral service will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 28 at Korban Funeral Chapel, 907 Main St. with The Rev. Fr. G. Maximiuk officiating. Vichna Yomu Pamyat