Wasyl Szwez

Wasyl Szwez, age 84, passed away on May 6, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona with his family by his side. Born on January 10, 1930 in Rymarivka, Poltava, Ukraine, Wasyl was one of two children born to Kyrylo and Palahiya Szwez. After his mother’s death, when he was six, his father remarried to Tatyana Szwez and they had three more children. He lost his sister Alexandra and brother Mykola at very young ages. During WW II his family was taken to Villah, Austria and after the war they moved to Porto Alegre, Brazil where on October 22, 1956 Wasyl married Vira Oliferenko. After immigrating to the United States, Wasyl and Vira would live in Chicago, IL and Elkhart, IN before settling in Glendale. Wasyl always remained very connected to his homeland, he enjoyed reading and following events in the Ukraine. He was also a long time member of Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Goshen, IN and St. Mary’s Protectress Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Phoenix, AZ where he had held the positions of Treasurer and Board President. Wasyl loved spending time with his family and playing cards with his brother-in-laws. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Vira Szwez; his three children, Victor and his wife Irene, George and Natalie; his grandchildren, Larissa, Alexander, Nicholas and Andrew; his siblings Nadia Markowski and Kathy Davero; and 10 nephews and nieces. Services in Arizona for Wasyl will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2014 beginning at 2:00 pm for viewing followed by funeral service at 3:00 pm at Sunland Memorial Park Mortuary, 15826 Del Webb Blvd, Sun City, AZ. Services will also be held in Illinois on Saturday, May 17, 2014 beginning at 10:00 am at St. Andrews Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 300 East Army Trail Road, Bloomingdale, IL with interment taking place at the St. Andrews Ukrainian Orthodox Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in memory of Wasyl to the Vicariate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyivan Patriarchare in the USA and Canada, 300 East Army Trail Road, Bloomingdale, IL 60108.

Here is one of Wasyl’s favorite poems:

Мамо, не плач, я повернусь весною.

У шибку пташинкою вдарюсь твою.

Прийду на світанні в садок із россою,

А, може, дощем на поріг упаду.

Голубко, не плач. Так судилося, Ненько.

Вже слово, матусю, не буде моїм.

Прийду і попрошуся в сон твій тихенько

Розкажу, як мається в домі новім.

Мені колискову ангел співає

І рана смертельна уже не болить.

Ти знаєш, матусю, й тут сумно буває

Душа за Тобою, рідненька щемить.

Мамочко, вибач за чорну хустину

За те, що віднині будеш сама.

Тебе я люблю. І люблю Україну,

Вона, як і Ти, була в мене одна.