Justyna Wijtyk Uschak

She was a wonderful, hard-working woman with amazing strength, and had a gift for creating beauty with what she had. She loved her family and was always the happiest when everyone was together.

Justyna was born in the Ukrainian village of Kryvytsya, to parents Myron Wijtyk (1886-1951) and Paraskevia Dowhan (1880-1933). She had a half-sister, Hanna Bobko (1917-1993), and siblings; Iryna (1920-1927), Dmytro (1921-1993), Mykola (1929-1998), Fedor (1933-2002); a step-mother, Anastasia (1901-1971), and a half-brother, Hryhoriy (1934-2018). In 1942 during World War II, life in the small Ukrainian village changed for Justyna, as German soldiers moved throughout the area rounding up thousands of Ukrainians to serve in labor camps. Justyna was taken, at the age of 15, to central Germany and forced to work in a prison camp, tilling manure into the soil. After two months, by the grace of God, Justyna's older brother, Dmytro, rescued her from the camp, taking her to Weilburg to work with him on the private dairy farm where he was employed as the farm manager. Together, they worked the farm for ten years, earning only room and board. During that time, in 1946, Justyna met and married her husband, Ivan Uschak, and shortly thereafter, gave birth to two sons, Stefan and Pavlo.

After the war, under the Displaced Persons Act, Justyna and Ivan decided to make the United States their new home. They traveled across the Atlantic aboard the USNS General CC Ballou and arrived in America through Ellis Island in 1952. Within a month, they were offered work and a place to live under the sponsorship of Mychajlo Balaban in Houston, Texas. Until jobs were found in Houston and the means to relocate were achieved, life was hard. They labored during the day, learned English at night and with determination, they survived and moved into their first home in 1955. In the following years, the Uschak family grew when Thomas, Martha and John, Jr. were born. In February 1965, Ivan Uschak died suddenly, leaving Justyna to manage five children alone. Justyna supported her family by doing janitorial services for Tenneco, and Sakowitz. Later she acquired a job with the City of Houston, from which she retired, after 20 years of service. Her strength continued to be exhibited throughout her life – as she participated in strikes, protests, and demonstrations on behalf of worker's rights in the 1970s, for Ukrainian Independence in 1992 and again for Ukraine in 2014.

Pani Uschak was a pillar of her local Ukrainian Community. In the 1960s, a desire for Ukrainian life and a Ukrainian Church prompted Justyna and Ivan to join the small community of Ukrainians in Houston in requesting a priest and building a church. With donations from their weekly wages, their time and hard physical labor; Justyna and Ivan joined the community in building St. Pius X Ukrainian Catholic Church. In 1972, Justyna's love for Ukraine and Ukrainian culture, motivated her in establishing the first Ukrainian National Women's League of America (UNWLA) Branch in Texas, Branch 11, serving as the first President, from 1972 to 1974. She was an active member of UNWLA through her 80s and helped with all manner of fundraisers and international events.

For over 30 years, Justyna participated in numerous cultural festivals, such as, the Bellaire Festival, International Christmas Village in Schulenburg, Fort Bend County Czech Festival, the Annual Ukrainian Easter Bazaar and Sts. Cyril & Methodius Slavic Heritage Festival - where she would sell her handmade embroidered pillows, rushnyky (decorative towels), tablecloths, Christmas ornaments, ceramics, and dolls dressed in traditional Ukrainian clothing. In addition, Justyna embroidered and sewed numerous costumes for the various Houston dance groups including Zhuravli Ukrainian Folk Dancers of Houston 2000-2010. Over the years, Justyna continued to contribute to the church and community that she helped build; through monetary gifts, embroidered altar cloths, and church banners. At every event and gathering, she was there, helping, smiling, and sharing with her friends and family.

Justyna was affectionately known as “Baba” by not only her grandchildren, but also by many other members of the Houston community. Justyna loved life. She appreciated what she had and what could be accomplished with her own hands. She enjoyed sharing her love and talent in Ukrainian embroidery, which can be seen on the shirts and blouses of her children, grandchildren, and many community members. She welcomed her children with an eagerness to hear about their day and would quickly pull out homemade varenyky, holubtsi, sauerkraut, and paskas – ready to serve at the table. She loved her home, garden, chickens, and geese. Several goose feather-down pillows or blankets were made through her knowledge and skill. Through her long life, she experienced many things and was amazed at how the world has been changing – she was so curious “to see what will come next”. She had an interest in seeing new places. She traveled to Omaha often, to visit her brother Dmytro, and to Canada to visit many friends from her childhood village. She also traveled to Australia, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Belgium, France, Spain and Alaska. She enjoyed polka music, local festivals and an occasional dark cold German beer.

Justyna acquired additional claim to fame in 2021, when filmmaking student, Brenda Jacoby, took an interest in Justyna's life as a holocaust survivor, and created the fifteen-minute documentary entitled "Justyna Uschak - Ukraine's Daughter" which has received acclaim at several film festivals in Texas. Justyna, along with hundreds of other survivors in Houston, has her name on the wall of the Holocaust Museum of Houston as well as on the wall outside of Ellis Island.

She is predeceased by her loving husband, Ivan Uschak; her son-in-law, John Noukas and her son, Steven. She is survived by her children Paul Uschak, Thomas Uschak, Martha Noukas and John Uschak Jr, her daughter-in-laws Pam Uschak, Rita Uschak, Mary Jane Uschak, and Terry Uschak, her 13 grandchildren and their spouses Holly & Tim Thornton, Adam & Michelle Uschak, Heather & Jason Aronson, Mary & Kevin Sheehy, Nicholas & Theresa Uschak, Hannah & Crispin Cruz, Juliana & Leo Amelyan, Sarah & Erik Milian, John & Jordan Uschak, Constantine Noukas, Christina & Nick Pfeffer, Michael & Kim Uschak, Joseph Uschak, her 26 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers a donation in memory of Justyna Uschak be made to Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church.

May her memory be eternal.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the Uschak family.