Mrs. Natalia Wynnyckyj

Obituary

Natalia Wynnyckyj (née Lech) passed away peacefully at the Ivan Franko Nursing Home. She was predeceased by her husband, Ostap, infant son Andrij, older sisters Olya Pylypiak and Domna Swidersky (Amsterdam, New York), and brother Myron Lech (Ukraine).

A loving and cherished mother of Marta (Terry), Lida (George), Bohdan (Myrosia), Natalia was also a devoted grandmother to Mark (Krissy), Christina (Eric), Zoya, Zako (Meghan), Laryssa, and Danylo. She was a beloved great-grandmother to Jack, Ava, Lilly, and Emmett.

Natalia was born in Bilij Kamin in the Lviv Oblast of Ukraine. With the onset of World War II, Natalia, her two older sisters Olya and Domna, fiancé Myron, and Uncle Gregory escaped the converging Russian and German fronts near their home. They unwittingly became part of Germany’s forced labor efforts.

When the war ended, they all lived together in a displaced persons’ camp in Germany.

In 1946, Natalia moved by herself to Salzburg, Austria, where the International Refugee Organization enrolled children displaced by the war in school. It was there she completed her high school education.

She also joined the Brotherhood of the Virgin Mary and remained a devoted Catholic her entire life.

Natalia emigrated to Toronto in 1948, sponsored by her uncle Walter Makarowski. She went to work at the Royal York Hotel in the culinary department, and it was there she acquired her passion for cooking and baking. Natalia soon realized the joy her passion brought to others, and it later became a great uniting element for both family and friends. Her apricot pastry was legendary!

In 1950, she joined both the Ukrainian Sports Organization as a volleyball player and the youth scouting organization, Plast. It was through these two organizations that she met her future husband, Ostap, and made many life-long friends.

Natalia and Ostap were married in 1951 at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church and were blessed to welcome four children. Her children were her world.

Her intense love of family, pride in the accomplishments of her children and grandchildren has been a gift to us all.

After raising her children, Natalia once again became involved with the church — St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church — where she joined the choir and helped in fundraising. She felt very fortunate and blessed to have had the opportunity to travel with the choir to Ukraine in the 1970s and meet her mother again, whom she had not seen since fleeing Bilyi Kamin in the early 1940s.

Visitation will be held at the Cardinal Funeral Home, 92 Annette St., on Friday, June 13, at 9:00 a.m., followed by a Panakhyda at 10:00 a.m.

The family would like to acknowledge the extraordinary dedication and care provided by the staff of the Ivan Franko Home over the past several years.

As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Ivan Franko Nursing Home or to Project Soniashnyk (benefiting the children of fallen Ukrainian soldiers) would be appreciated by the family.

Vichnaya Pamyat, our beloved mama

Visitation

Service

Burial