Pavlo Shalashny

SHALASHNY - Pavlo Shalashny, father, grandfather (Deedo) and great-grandfather passed away peacefully in the early evening of July 24, 2006 at St. Paul's Hospital after the briefest of illnesses. Born on December 25, 1904 in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, his life is a testament to the goodness and protection of God, as he and his family survived revolution, famine, two world wars and many displacements. Following several years of forced labour in Germany, the Shalashnys immigrated to Venezuela, where they were part of the Slavic Orthodox immigrant community in Valencia. After various jobs, Pavlo worked as a building contractor for homes and swimming pools. In 1959 they came to Saskatoon, where they had lived and worked since, and were always active in the Orthodox community. He was a skilled grafter of trees and had a practical genius for working in wood and cement. With the "TLC " they gave their garden, they were known for growing many and often giant vegetables, which they gave away every fall. Predeceased by his wife, Evdokia, in 2001, he then joined the household of his son, Vasil. He fully participated in the life of the home, weaving on a loom attached to his walker, folding clothes, caring for plants and continuing to read his Ukrainian newspapers (without glasses). He was intensely grateful for life in Canada and expressed it often. Peacefulness and contentment were his chief traits, with strong love of God, family and community. He is survived by daughters, Raisa (Walter) Lewicki of Kelowna, Taisa de Mendoza of Caracas, Venezuela; Valentina (Alfonso) Garcia de Paredes of Aruba; and son, Vasil (Katya) Szalasznyj of Saskatoon; twelve grandchildren, Helen Fadden of Abbotsford; George Lewicki of Calgary; Nadia Lewicki of Saskatoon; Nicholas Lewicki of Kelowna; Elizabeth Johnson and Michael Lewicki of Vancouver; Oxana de Mendoza of Caracas; Valentina (Savvas) Pissarides of Cyprus; Mary Carmen (Romeo) Kock of Aruba; Isabel (Nathan) Licona of Holland; and Alexander Shalashniy and Anastasia Szalasznyj of Saskatoon; and nine greatgrandchildren: Tosha of Fort St. John, Christopher of Kelowna and Colton Lewicki of Penticton; Yakie Ochoa de Mendoza of Caracas; Laura Cristina, Ana Victoria, Ana Sofia and Juan Daniel Kock of Aruba; and Spyridon Emmanuel Pissarides of Cyprus. He was predeceased by his loving wife, Evdokia; and infant son, Vasil in Germany. Prayers, Sunday, July 30th, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. and Funeral Service on Monday, July 31st, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, 2202 Lorne Avenue, with Very Rev. Fr. Orest Olekshy and Rev. Fr. Daniel Guenther officiating. Interment will take place at Woodlawn Orthodox Cemetery, Saskatoon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the support organization for Ukrainian orphans, NASHI, c/o Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church. Arrangements entrusted to Terry G. Michayliuk, ACADIA DRIVE FUNERAL CHAPEL, 955-1600.