Bohdan Yuriy Kniahynyckyj

Bohdan Kniahynyckyj passed away peacefully in La Mesa CA on Saturday June 29 2024 after a lengthy battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. Bohdan was born on May 10 1946 in Haar Germany, the youngest of five children, to Reverend Yaroslav and Lubomyra (Kobrynska) as they were fleeing their native Ukraine in the wake of WWII. The family, which included his brother Zenon and sister Roma, immigrated to the US in 1951. The whereabouts of his two older brothers, Emanual and Stephan, were unknown at the time.

After graduating from Immaculate Conception Ukrainian High School in Hamtramck MI in 1964, he was drafted into the US Army in 1965 and proudly served until 1968. He became a U.S. citizen while in the Army in 1967 and remained devoted to his country his entire life.

Bohdan moved to California in 1973 where he first owned and operated American Recycling in Pomona. After selling his business he worked as a purchasing agent for several industrial scrap metal firms until his retirement in 2018. He was active in Los Angeles civic and Ukrainian organizations, President of the Kobzar Ukrainian National Choir and member of the Board of the Ukrainian Culture Center.

Bohdan married Vera (Skop) in 2008 and continued volunteer activities in San Diego with the House of Ukraine and St. John the Baptizer Ukrainian Catholic Church. He loved his role as St. Nicholas every Christmas and building a new Ukrainian Catholic church became his passion as he worked tirelessly as chair of the Finance Committee and member of the Building Committee. Bohdan and Vera often travelled to Ukraine where Bohdan had the opportunity to research his family roots. Bohdan was a proud American, was passionate about politics and active in the San Diego County Republican Party and was thrilled to be a delegate to the 2016 and 2020 Republican National Conventions.

Husband to Vera (Skop), brother- in -law to Hildegard (Kniahynyckyj), brother to Roma (Hayda), uncle to Roman(Kniahyhynyckyj), Roman (Hayda), Borys (Hayda) and Marko (Hayda) and their families, brother-in-law to Nadia and Peter (Shlichta), cousin and uncle to family in the U.S. and Ukraine. He is predeceased by his parents, brothers Emanual, Stephan and Zenon, and son Stephan.

Visitation will be held at the Erickson Anderson Mortuary 8390 Allison Ave La Mesa from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. with a Parastas service at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be held at St. Mary Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Church 9558 Campo Road Spring Valley at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Yuriy Sas officiating. Interment will follow at Miramar National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests memorial contributions be made to St. John the Baptizer UCC, memo Building Fund.