Joanna Bemko

Our beloved mom and Babcha, Joanna Kuzminska Bemko of 109 Retford Avenue, Cranford, NJ has passed. She touched many lives in her journey and continues to live in the hearts of her children; son Andrey, his wife Angie, their children Zhenia, Lilianna, Jessie, Kimmie, daughter Christina, her daughter Natalie husband David and great grandchildren Scarlett, Rian, Lorelai, daughter Larysa, her husband Ihor, and son Peter his wife Theresa, their children Adam, Kara and Nichole. She is survived by her siblings, Lewko and Luba and their families, along with many nieces and nephews around the world. Born 1923 in Peremyshl, an ancient city on the border of Poland and Ukraine, Joanna intrepidly supported her family through the horrors of WWII and many years in refugee camps where she was trained as a nurse by the International Refugee Organization. Immigrating to the United States in 1952, she restarted her life raising a family, maintaining her Ukrainian culture and language and earning 4 PhD's (4 children). When her husband Bohdan passed, she worked 3 jobs for many years to insure her children always had food on the table, a roof over their heads and university education. In her "spare time" she loved the study of natural healing, gardening and singing in choirs. She organized and performed with her husband, Bohdan Bemko, and the Ukrainian Quartet Karavana. She passed at home surrounded by family who will carry forward her legacy of integrity, hard work, determination and humor. Viewing is at Union Funeral Home, Union, NJ on Sunday, December 20, 2015, 6 to 9 pm. Funeral to be held at St Vladimyr's Ukrainian church, Elizabeth at 10 AM, Monday, December 21, 2015