Basil Iwashyna

Basil Iwashyna (originally Wasyl Iwashyna), 78, of Midlothian, Virginia, passed away on July 14, 2018, after many months with pancreatic cancer. He was born in 1939, in the small farming village of Bakumivka in Poltavs’ka Oblast in Ukraine. During World War II, Basil’s family was taken to Germany as “Ostarbeiter”. His father was forced to work on the railroad and his mother in a military laundry. After the fall of Germany, he lived with his family in Hamburg-Fischbeck Displaced Persons Camp. The USS General S.D. Sturgis sailed from Bremerhaven on Sept 21, 1949, with the family and other refugees. Ten-year-old Basil arrived in New York on October 21, 1949. Basil graduated from Ballston Spa High School in 1957. Basil would go on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Lafayette College in 1961 with a degree in electrical engineering, and from Santa Clara University in 1966 with an MBA. He inculcated a deep commitment to education and learning in his children. Basil began his career in computers with General Electric in 1961. He had positions of increasing managerial responsibility with IBM, RCA, Sperry, and Unisys. He later changed careers to join LILCO and then Utilicorp in Kansas City, where he helped create environmentally friendly energy products. He was fortunate to have travelled the world for business and pleasure. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Eileen, and his 3 sons: Theodore (Jack) Iwashyna, MD, PhD, and his wife, Stefanie, and their 3 children of Ann Arbor, MI; Brian J. Iwashyna, Esq, and his wife, Tiffany, and their daughter of Richmond, VA; and Scott J. Iwashyna, MD, and his wife, Alex, and their 3 children, also of Richmond, VA. He could not have been prouder or loved his family more. He deeply valued the time he spent with his grandchildren. He will be missed by his family and friends. The family would like to thank his doctor and nurse, Giancarlo Pierontoni and Jennifer for their wonderful care for all these years. We appreciate the dedication and kindness afforded Basil. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider donations in his name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.