Obituary

Valentina Lawryniuk (nee Kwateruk) (1926-2020)

Valentina (Valia) was born on July 3, 1926 in Lokachi, Volyn, Ukraine.

She was 16 years old during WWII, when she was taken by the Germans to work as a forced labourer in Germany.

After the war, she lived in London, England and then immigrated to Canada in 1954.  She settled briefly in Winnipeg, where she met and married her husband Fedir (Teodor) Lawryniuk (1915 – 1990).

Fedir and Valia moved to Ontario in the late 1950s and owned and operated the Panama Shoe store on 610 Queen St. W. (Bellwoods).

Valia was a long-time active member of the St. Volodymyr Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto. She was also a member of the Cathedral choir for many years.  Valia loved singing and didn’t hesitate to share her joy with others.

Valia and her husband lived in Keswick, Ontario, where they hosted many happy occasions with their friends. She was an avid seamstress and embroidered beautifully. Valia’s heart was broken when her beloved husband died in 1990. Her own health started to decline and she moved to Toronto and became a long-time (2004-20) resident of the Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre. She was an avid reader of Ukrainian historic and literary works and remained fiercely independent and patriotic to the very end. She passed away peacefully.

Valia was a gentle soul who was deeply religious. She never judged or complained. She will be missed.

Vichnaya Pamiat!

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