Obituary of Anastasia Gurskyj

Anastasia (Sharko) Gurskyj passed away peacefully Sunday December 3rd 2023, in her 100th year. She was born with the given name Nadia on June 25th 1924 in Semenivka (eastern Ukraine), to Vasyl and Oksana Sharko. Pre-deceased by her husband William in 2006. Anastasia lived a happy childhood with her parents, as the youngest of eight siblings, until the Soviet modernization and collectivization policies that began in the late 1920s. The family was forced to give up their land and livelihoods. In 1932, the family began to face what is now referred to as the Holodomor, or ‘death by famine’. All sources of food were confiscated, resulting in the deaths of many in their village and across eastern Ukraine. In 1933, when she was eight years of age, both of Anastasia’s parents perished of starvation in the Holodomor, leaving the children as orphans. In 1941, she was taken from her village by the invading German army to work as a forced factory labourer in Germany. While working as a forced labourer, she met her future husband, William. After liberation in 1945 they were married in Germany. Their first son, John was born in Germany. In 1949 William immigrated to Canada. He was able to bring his wife with John in 1950 and the family of three settled in Niagara on the Lake. They soon bought their first home in St. Catharines, welcoming their son Terry and daughter Mary, who were born in St. Catharines. Anastasia worked as a housekeeper, on Niagara on the Lake area farms, and Boese Canning Factory. As a cook at the CAW Hall, she was known for her delicious cabbage rolls. She and her husband William were proud Canadians, joining other newcomers to build a tight-knit surrogate family in St. Catharines, where they spent many happy weekends with their friends and ‘kumy’, enjoying all the Niagara Region has to offer. Anastasia was a dedicated mother and she cherished her children John (Carol Wdowczyk), Terry (Eileen) and Mary (Zenon Chytra), grandchildren Lesia (Levco Wynnyckyj), Halia (Gaetano Barrila), Terry William (Corey Dooley) and Kristen (Rickey Schoph). She found much joy in her great-grandchildren Leo Wynnyckyj, David & Andrew Barrila, Makenna and Brayden Gurskyj. The family would like to thank the staff at Henley House (Woodend) for their care of our mother for the last five years.

Anastasia is resting at George Darte Funeral Home, St. Catharines, 585 Carlton St., St. Catharines. Visitation will take place on Wednesday, December 6th from 5-8p.m. Panachyda will take place at 7p.m. in the funeral home. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church, 14 Rolls Ave. St. Catharines on Thursday, December 7th at 10:30 a.m. Burial at Victoria Lawn Cemetery to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sts. Cyril & Methodius building fund or a charity of your choice. Vichnaya Pamyat!

Please celebrate Anastasia's funeral mass with us by clicking the link provided: Livestream Church Link