UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE USA
CONSISTORY OFFICE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
PRESS RELEASE

IN MEMORY OF TWO CONSISTORY FAMILY MEMBERS!

The entire Consistory staff – including those who work in the offices and those who care for the grounds and buildings of our Metropolia Center compound – were deeply saddened in recent days at learning of the repose of two of our own – Mykola (Nick) Newmerszycki, who died on 29 August and Myroslava (Slava – Helen) Pavlovsky, who died early in the morning of 30 August. 

MYKOLA NEWMERSZYCKI:  Nick worked diligently for many years as part of our property maintenance staff, including St. Andrew Cemetery, in a very close relationship with our property manager, Emil Skocypec.  He was a talented “Jack of all trades” who never refused to tackle any task assigned to him and often prodded some of his younger fellow employees into attempting new tasks, which were unknown to them.  Even after he retired from active full-time work here on the property, Nick continued to come in whenever Emil needed him for a specific job or when another member of the staff had to take a day off or was on vacation.  Emil knew that he could always count upon Nick to fill a need.  It was only his declining health took its toll – basically as he entered his eighth decade of life – that Nick could no longer do the physical things he loved to do around his second home – our Metropolia Center.

Nick was a kind and generous man who was truly a blessing to the new employees who have worked with our property maintenance staff – especially those recent arrivals from Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union.  He made them feel at home and assisted with any translations necessary and taught them the work ethic of their new home here in the United States of America.  Nick’s kindness was not limited only to the site of employment.  He was very generous in assisting new arrivals from Ukraine – whether they worked here at the Center or were worshipers at St. Andrew Memorial Church.  It was not an uncommon thing to hear that he had provided a television for one couple, a refrigerator for another or offer assistance in many other ways.  All this kindness was offered without the slightest expectation of repayment and we know that Nick would actually be embarrassed by the fact that it is revealed here.

Nick was in his 86th year of life and is survived by his and a grandson.  Funeral services were conducted by Archbishop Antony, Fr. Frank Estocin, Fr. Yurij Siwko and Fr. Ivan Lymar (who worked with Nick at our Center) on Tuesday, 2 September 2008 and Wednesday, 3 September 2008 in St. Andrew Memorial Church.  Interment was in St. Andrew Cemetery. 

MYROSLAVA (HELEN) PAVLOVSKY:  “Slava” Pavlovsky served for the last fifteen years as Executive Assistant and Secretary to Archbishop Antony and prior to that in the same capacity for Metropolitan and later Patriarch of Ukraine Mstyslav for twenty years – with a short break to complete her college degree in the early 1980’s.  She was a well-known fixture in the Bishops’ and Consistory offices – familiar to anyone and everyone who came to visit or meet with our hierarchs.  She was a fierce defendant of their schedule and sometimes had to force the bishops themselves to balance their time so that they were not completely overwhelmed by “meetings” when other very important matters needed attention.  This was an invaluable service to both the Metropolitan and the Archbishop.  She often scolded them for doing the things she thought she should be doing – like making copies or delivering papers from one office to another.

Pani Slava was a linguist, fluent in seven languages, which proved many times to be of extreme importance not only to the hierarchs, but to the entire Consistory membership and staff when translations were needed.  She never refused to accept additional translating from any member of the Consistory – especially when special projects were in progress.  In addition to her responsibilities assisting the hierarchs, Slava enjoyed working closely with the Editors-in-Chief – especially Bishop Daniel and Fr. William Diakiw – of the Ukrainian Orthodox Word, the Church Calendar, the United Sisterhood’s Vira and the Commissions and Committees responsible for many other church publications in translation efforts.  She and Lida Nakonachny, who retired from the staff a few years ago, had a close working relationship, at first in the Metropolitan/Patriarch’s office and then the Consistory.  It was interesting to witness three way “conversations” between them and Bishop Daniel about the proper translations – whether to use modern Ukrainian language as utilized in Ukraine today or the traditional Ukrainian utilized by those who emigrated from Ukraine to the USA before and after World War II.

Slava was in her 80th year of life and had informed Archbishop Antony prior to her 80th birthday in late June that it was time for her to retire.  She agreed to remain on the job until a replacement was found and finally on 29 August, she left the office for the last time bearing with her a large bouquet of flowers to enter into her well-deserved retirement - she adamantly refused to permit any kind of farewell party or even lunch on the occasion of her retirement.  The Archbishop was able to extract a promise – which she happily made – to work from home when necessary.  She went to bed that night and fell asleep in the Lord leaving heavy hearts among her family, co-workers and friends.

Funeral services were conducted on Thursday, 4 September 2008 and Friday, 5 September 2008 in St. Andrew Memorial Church with Archbishop Antony, Bishop Daniel, Fr. Frank Estocin, Fr. Yurij Siwko, Fr. Bazyl Zawierucha, Fr. Ivan Lymar and Fr. Victor Wronskyj serving.  The members of her family and St. Andrew Memorial Church Choir – of which Slava was a member for 37 years – sang the responses for the funeral.  She is survived by her children and grandchildren:  daughter Christine Syzonenko and her husband Walter with their children Mykola, Katerina and Oleksander, son Taras Pavlovsky and his wife Lilia with their children Kyrylo and Zoya, daughter Natalka Weismantel and her husband Matthew with their son Leonid and other extended family members.  She was interred in St. Andrew Cemetery next to her husband Oleh, who reposed in 1993.

We will miss both of these dedicated individuals who gave so much of themselves to our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church in service to God and fellow man.  The entire Consistory membership and staff extend their most sincere sympathy to the families of Nick and Slava.  We all will carry fond memories of our relationships with them throughout our lives.  May their souls rest in eternal happiness and may their memory live in God’s Kingdom from generation to generation.  Vichna yim pamyat!