Helen Lewyckyj

Helen Lewyckyj was born Helen Federowska in Vinnitsa, Ukraine, a charming small city about a 3-hour drive from the capital city, Kiev. She was one of several siblings, mostly sisters and one brother. Her father was a principal engineer at a local factory that produced sugar from sugar beets, a Ukrainian staple. Her mother passed away at an early age, and Helen, as one of the younger siblings, was raised with devotion by an older sister and her dad. As a child, she loved to swim and to ski. As a teenager she was a competitive long distance swimmer. She completed the highest level of a European high school education at age 16, but within a month of graduation was taken captive by German soldiers during the invasion in June 1941 and sent to Germany to work. Among other things, she worked as a housekeeper and barmaid for a local farmer who operated a restaurant in his home. She always worked hard, had to persevere through verbal abuse by some, and even stared down the barrel of a German officer's handgun, but was treated fairly by others.

She met Ivan "John" Lewyckyj at the end of WWII, after he was liberated from Dachau concentration camp by the US Third Army. They married in Germany and as part of the Allied relocation plan made plans to leave Germany. John had hopes of relocating to Austria where he would farm the land for his livelihood, but Helen insisted "No, we are going to America!" And so with two children in tow, Alex and Don, the family sailed to America and arrived in Boston, not Ellis Island, in 1949. With sponsorship from a community of other Ukrainians, the family took residence in Buffalo, New York. John eventually got a job with Ford Motor Company and Helen worked evenings cleaning in a local bank. Sons Walter and Raymond were born in Buffalo. When Ford relocated to Lorain, so too did the family, purchasing the small farm in Amherst on Dewey Road. Daughter Marianne was born in Elyria Hospital.

John continued to work at Ford, the Baumhart Road facility, and farmed the property. John and Helen loved the farm and devoted a lot of work and attention to it. They grew all sorts of vegetables, manned a road-side stand, maintained a small vineyard and orchard, and raised a few head of livestock every year. A special source of pride was their rose garden, which at one point numbered 1200 flowers. Countless numbers of people, most on their way to Polansky's Meat Market down the street, would stop alongside the road to marvel at the roses.

Helen was a devoted mother and took a great deal of pride in her four surviving children and their families, 11 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. She enjoyed attending mass and banquets sponsored by her church, St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church, in Lorain. In her day she was famous for her homemade pierogies which she would contribute toward fundraising. She loved to read and amassed an impressive collection of Ukrainian books.

She is survived by four children: Alex (Diane) of Vermilion, Don (Lori) of Lorain, Raymond (Beth) of McLean, Virginia, and Marianne (Scott) of Woodbridge, Virginia. She was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, John and a son, Walter.

The family will receive friends on Wed., Jan. 18, from 2-4 and 6-8 pm, in the Dovin Funeral Home, 2701 Elyria Avenue, Lorain, where a panachida will be held at 7:00 pm. Morning prayers will be held on Thurs., at 9:30 am, in the funeral home, followed by Divine Liturgy, at 10:00 am, at St. John Ukrainian Catholic Church, 3038 Charleston Ave., Lorain. The Rev. Fr. Steven Paliwoda, Pastor, will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery, Lorain.