Obituary

Maria Nakoneczny (Wenger) passed away peacefully at the age of 100 at the Ivan Franko Ukrainian Home on Monday, September 4th, 2023.

Maria was born on January 2nd, 1923, in Ukraine, the daughter of the late Wasyl and Teklya Wenger, sister to Klaudia (d. 2020) and Bohdan, who passed away during World War II while serving in the Ukrainian Army. Maria overcame adversity by walking from Ukraine to Germany with her family during World War II. Following the war, she briefly lived in Bradford, UK, with her husband Stefan (d. 1983) before permanently settling in Canada via Montreal and then Toronto for the remainder of her life. There, she became a part of the Ukrainian community and was an avid churchgoer. She was a parish member at several Ukrainian Catholic churches in Toronto and sang in parish choirs over the years. She worked tirelessly as a seamstress to support her family. She enjoyed growing plants and vegetables in her garden, cooking traditional Ukrainian food, and spending time with family and friends in Canada and the US. She was accomplished in traditional Ukrainian embroidery (vyshyvka) and egg decorating (pysanky).

Maria was a loving, kind, and strong person with a playful sense of humour. She took pride in her role as a mother and grandmother. She is survived by her two children, Bohdan (Debra) and Ostap (Judy). She was the beloved Baba to her grandchildren Lesya, Sonya, Paul, Adrian and Natalie.

Those that knew her describe her as a sweet and wonderful woman who will be dearly missed. We thank you for keeping Maria and her family in your thoughts and prayers at this time.

“Vichnaya Pamyat.”

For those wishing to do so, donations can be made in Maria's honour to the Ivan Franko Ukrainian Home. https://ivanfrankohomes.com/how-to-support

Visitation

Date
September 07, 2023
Location
Cardinal Funeral Home, Annette Chapel
Time
05:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Memo

Panakhyda 7:00pm

Service

Date
September 08, 2023
Location
St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church
Time
10:00 AM

Burial

Date
September 08, 2023
Location
St. John's Dixie Cemetery
Time
11:45 AM
Memo

Burial Time is an estimate

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September 06, 2023
Laurie Brown and Chris Collins
Dear Bohdan, Debra, Lesya and Sonia We extend our sincere condolences. We have fond memories of Maria at Christmas family gatherings. Maria was so gracious and treated us with her special Ukranian dishes. Take comfort in knowing we share your grief for your loving mother and baba. Sincerely Laurie and Chris