Marta Danyluk

Her long life carried her from the villages of Ukraine, through the upheaval of war-torn Europe, to more than six decades of devotion to family, faith, and community in the New York area.

Early Life in Ukraine

Marta was born in 1930 in Ukraine, into a family deeply rooted in faith — her household carried the influence of priests within the family line, and the rhythms of the Ukrainian Church shaped her earliest understanding of the world. Her parents, Bohdan Fostiak and Olha Fostiak, nurtured her upbringing in Catholicism, Ukrainian culture, arts and music, and activities in their local community. That grounding in religion would remain the compass of her life, through decades of dislocation and, later, decades of stability.

Her childhood and young adulthood unfolded against the darkening backdrop of the 1930s and early 1940s, as Ukraine came under the shadow of totalitarian rule and, later, Nazi German occupation during the Second World War. Like millions of Ukrainians of her generation, Marta's early life was marked by upheaval few who did not live through it can fully imagine — the loss of home, of normalcy, and often of family members and neighbors.

Escape and Displacement

As the war closed in, Marta’s family made the harrowing decision to flee, escaping the tyranny that had overtaken her homeland. Her path out of Ukraine led her, as it did so many displaced Ukrainians of that era, into Germany —through one of the Displaced Persons (DP) camps (Augsburg & Mittenwald) that housed hundreds of thousands of Eastern Europeans in the years following the war. It was there, amid uncertainty about the future, that she waited for the chance to begin again.

That chance came in 1951, when Marta and her family emigrated to the United States, joining the wave of Ukrainian refugees and displaced persons who rebuilt their lives in America in the years following the war. She arrived with little but her faith, her resilience, and the hope of a new beginning.

Building a Life in New York

Marta settled in Queens, New York, which by the mid-20th century had become home to a vibrant and close-knit Ukrainian-American community. There, she built a life for herself and her family, working for many years at an accounting firm in New York City — a career that reflected her diligence, precision, and quiet determination.

But it was outside of work that Marta's spirit truly shone. She became deeply active in the Ukrainian community of New York City, dedicating her time and energy to preserving Ukrainian culture, faith, and tradition for the next generation. She belonged to multiple organizations, including St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, UNWLA branch, Plast, Self-Reliance Ukrainian Credit Union, choir in Ukraine & NYC. Through church life, cultural events, and community gatherings, she helped keep the traditions of her homeland alive for her children, grandchildren, and the broader diaspora.

Her Christian faith remained the constant thread running through her life — from the priests in her family in Ukraine, to the churches she worshipped in throughout her decades in America. It was faith that carried her through war and displacement, and faith that anchored her in her new home.

In her later years, Marta spent time in Bedminster, New Jersey, and later Yonkers, New York, remaining close to family as she moved through this final chapter of her life.

Family

Marta was married to Roman Danyluk, and is survived by her two sons, Oleh Danyluk & wife Christina, and Andrij Danyluk, and her three grandchildren, Lesia Danyluk & fiancé Dylan Markowitz, Yuri Danyluk and Roman Danyluk. She was extremely dedicated and proud of her family and their many accomplishments. Her family remembers her not only for the extraordinary journey she survived, but for the love, faith, and sense of heritage she instilled in every generation that followed her.

A Life of Faith, Resilience, and Community

Marta Danyluk's story is, in many ways, the story of a generation of Ukrainians who lost their homeland but never lost their identity — who carried their faith, language, and traditions across an ocean and built new communities that still gather today. From a childhood shaped by the Church, through the darkness of war and displacement, to a lifetime of quiet service to her family and her Ukrainian community in New York, Marta lived a life defined by endurance and devotion.

She will be remembered as a woman of deep faith, unshakeable resilience, and profound love for her family and her people.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to:

Ukrainian Museum - https://www.theukrainianmuseum.org/join-support/donate-2/

Support Ukrainian Children - https://unwla.app.neoncrm.com/campaigns/aid-for-ukrainian-children

in Marta's memory.

Visiting Hours will be held at Whalen & Ball Funeral Home, 168 Park Ave, Yonkers, NY 10703 on Friday September 11, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, with a Panikhyda Service from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will take place in St Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church, 21 Shonnard Pl, Yonkers, NY 10703 on Saturday September 12, 2026, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am, followed by Interment at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, 280 Main St, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880.