Lydia Claudia Kasianchuk

More than anyone else, she will be profoundly missed and forever remembered by her best friend, partner, advisor and husband of 63 years, Don.

Lydia’s father, Peter Paush, was a renowned cantor at St. John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, so music was always an important part of her life. From early childhood into her 80s, Lydia was a soprano in many choirs, and soloist at many weddings. At the University of Alberta, she majored in English and Music, subjects she taught in high schools in Grande Prairie and Edmonton. In 1958 Lydia became Assistant Producer of the Howdy Doody Show with CBC Children’s Television in Toronto where she met Don Kasianchuk, who was obtaining his Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. They were married in Edmonton in 1961, where their son Peter was born in 1962. They moved to Fredericton where Don taught at the University of New Brunswick and their son Christopher was born in 1964. The young family of four drove to Berkeley, California where Don earned his Ph.D. In 1968, they moved to Ottawa where Don joined the Engineering faculty at Carleton University Lydia spent the six years in Ottawa singing with the Cantata Singers, editing the Canadian Slavonic Papers, and directing a busy household with two young sons. In 1976 the family moved to Victoria, where Don became the Assistant Deputy Minister of Highways and later, British Columbia’s Comptroller of Water Rights, and Lydia was appointed as the first Arts Manager for Greater Victoria. In 2001 Lydia received the Caring Canadian Award from Governor General David Johnston.

Lydia was a champion of all the arts – in Victoria and across Canada. For fifteen years through the 80’s and 90’s, she led annual arts tours for groups of 25 members at a time to see Shakespeare at Stratford, the National Gallery in Ottawa, and operas in Santa Fe. In her later years, Lydia’s life was enormously fulfilled being manager of the outstanding Lafayette String Quartet.

An enthusiastic traveler, Lydia hitch-hiked through Europe with friends when she was 20, and joined tours to China, Kenya, Israel, Peru, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. With Don, she visited Greece, Turkey, England, Spain and Italy. Lydia visited Ukraine twice; first in 1972 with Don, and 1978 with her mother Stephania. Lydia also delighted in sharing the world with her granddaughters; Venice at 76 with Amy, Paris at 78 with Ava, and Iceland at 80 with Darcy.

Lydia’s smiles and hugs will be missed by her loving husband Don, their sons Peter and Christopher, granddaughters, daughter-in-law Carole, her cousin Carol and many friends around the world.

A Memorial Service will be held on Thursday, August 22nd at 11:00 am at First Memorial – 4725 Falaise Drive, Victoria, BC. Details of a Celebration of Life to follow.

In Lydia’s memory, please attend local arts events as often as possible.