SZUCH, Hryhorij - (1922-2021) - Passed away peacefully at the Ivan Franko Home in Toronto on September 9, 2021.
Married to Stefania Ustianovska (Riopka) (1927-2010) and Paula Staeger (1921-2010).
Devoted father of Slawko (Olya), Anhelyna, and Lubomyr (Maria).
Grandfather of Zoriana, Konstantin and Vasyl.
Great grandfather of Steftsia and Sofia.
Cousin of Dr. Myroslav and Bohdan Hnatiuk, and Petro Bilaniuk.
Hryhorij was born on July 26, 1922 in the town of Dobrovliany near Zalishchyk, Ternopil province of western Ukraine. Hryhorij’s parents were Ivan Szuch (1887-1956) and Anna Romanko (1893-1976).
Hryhorij was an active supporter of OUN (Melnyk) during WWII and was a member of Divizia Halychyna’s Fusilier Battalion 14 under the commandment of Stefan Hulak.
In 1946, he escaped the POW camp in Rimini, Italy where the Divizia was imprisoned and made his way back to Munich to continue the fight for an independent Ukraine.
Hryhorij met his wife, Stefania in Weyarn in 1947 and settled in Munich where their four children were born. The family immigrated to Canada in 1955.
Hryhorij worked as an engineering inspector for the Canadian National Railway/Via Rail until his retirement in 1987. He loved nature and lived out his retirement years in his rural home on Lake Simcoe until his early nineties. He loved to read, and was an avid gardener and bee keeper.
He will be remembered for his fierce patriotism in the fight for Ukraine’s independence, his keen intellect and knowledge of Ukraine’s history as well as his good nature, sense of humour, and sheer joy in sharing his knowledge with others.
The family sincerely thanks the staff and administration of the Ivan Franko Home (Royal York Rd.) for their wonderful care and support of him.
The visitation will be held on Sunday, September 12 from 3 to 7 p.m. with a Panakhyda at 6:30 p.m.. The Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel of the Cardinal Funeral Homes "Annette Chapel" on Monday, September 13 at 10 a.m. followed by the Interment.
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