Irena Homziak Holland

Irena Christina Holland (nee Homziak), 69, died Tuesday, December 29, 2015, at Hospice Atlanta, following a long, hard fought battle with leukemia. Her brother and dear friends were at her side. Irena was born a refugee in a Displaced Persons camp in Regensburg, Germany. She moved with her family to Belgium in 1947, then emigrated to the U.S. in 1951, settling in the Ukrainian community in Philadelphia. Irena attended St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic School and then the Girls High School of Philadelphia, graduating in 1964. After receiving her Associate’s Degree from the Community College of Philadelphia, Irena began a life-long career in the insurance industry. She was a well-known and respected broker and an underwriter in excess and surplus lines, working in Philadelphia, Washington DC and, ultimately, in Atlanta, where she retired from The Fireman’s Fund/Allianz in 2013. Irena loved to contribute to her church and to her community. Reflecting her love of books and libraries, she was a long time volunteer with the Friends of the Dunwoody Library and made many good friends working thesre. She put her knowedge of vintage clothing and fashion to good use, volunteering at the Chamblee St Vincent de Paul Society thrft shop. A devout Catholic, Irena was a parishioner of All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody, and returned to St. Nicholas, the church of her childhood, whenever she could. Irena is survived by her brother Jurij Homziak, sister-in-law Mary Trexler and niece Maya Homziak of Burlington, VT; nephew Nicholas Homziak of Gainesville, FL; and niece Allie Homziak of San Francisco, CA. She was pre-deceased by her parents, Jakiw and Halyna Homziak. Irena also left behind her best friend from childhood, Sheila Lawton of Philadelphia, and her Atlanta sisters of the heart Barbara Wright, Catherine Duyos, Iona Valentine, Debbie Sinclair and many others. Irena was profoundly thankful to all who had stood by her in her illness and helped her in so many ways. We are grateful for the wonderful and loving care she received from the staff at the Northside Hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and the Infusion Center, and from Hospice Atlanta. Kimberly Geiger, Hospice on-call RN was a true angel of mercy. A Memorial service will be held at All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, January 5, 2016. Interment will be on Wednesday, January 6, in a private ceremony at St. Mary's Ukrainian Cemetery, Fox Chase-Abington, PA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to support for the care of incurable cancer patients (760 Pollard Blvd SW, Atlanta, GA 30315) or to Friends of the Dunwoody Library (5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody, GA 30338).