Walter Steve Lukie

WALTER STEVE LUKIE

December 31, 1944 –April 14, 2018

It is with great sorrow and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our dearly loved one, Walter (Wally) Lukie, but with deep love and respect that we honour and celebrate his uplifting Life. He died with dignity, on his own terms, after his courageous battle this past year, surrounded by much love and peace.

Walter was born and raised on his parents’ farm in Grandview, Manitoba, with his brothers and sisters and amongst his many cousins and extended family who all lived on farms nearby. He had an active life, focused on family, education, farming and leadership in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. He attended both elementary and High School in Grandview and graduated with the highest marks of his Grade 12 class.  Walter’s lifelong passion for learning and desire to expand his horizons compelled him to explore a number of job paths from 1962-64, including the clergy and summer prospecting in the Northern Manitoba wilds, but he always returned home to help with the harvest. Before long he found his calling and decided to attend Teachers College in Winnipeg.

Walter’s next chapter began during Teachers College where he met Isabel (Boguski), his wife to be for 50 years.  They were married in Zoria,MB in 1968, had their first child the following year. After earning his certification, he immediately followed up studies toward and completed his Bachelors degree in Education from the University of Manitoba. He put his degrees to good use by teaching for Winnipeg School Division 1 in many levels and schools including J. M. King, Faraday, Isaac Newton, Sisler, and finally 30 years at Sargent Park.  He also took a one year sabbatical to acquire his Pedagogy (Masters) in Teaching. He and Isabel had three more children between 1973 and 1979. He had a rewarding career teaching hundreds of wonderful kids, coaching after school basketball, mentoring the yearbook committee, and working in many other capacities. Every trip to a mall or any store meant bumping into former students and them catching up on the meaningful and positive impact Mr. Lukie had on their path. He was truly loved and respected. With summers free, Walter and Isabel made a point of road tripping with his young family, across Canada and the northern United States, providing several lifetime‘s worth of lampoon-worthy anecdotal vacation stories. When Isabel retired in 2004, Walter retired soon after, and together they have spent these years travelling from coast to coast, crisscrossing the country, visiting their children and grandchildren, who can’t seem to stay in one place for very long, as well as to Phoenix. Their dream trip to Ukraine was usurped by the conflict in 2013 and 2014, and subsequent timing to reschedule proved challenging, but he undoubtedly is there in spirit finally visiting The Motherland.

Walter’s second home was St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, administered by the Redemptorist Congregation of St. Alphonsus de Liguori, he endearingly called himself a “Redemptorist Rat”,  through which he continued to make a significant difference in others’ lives both in the parish and throughout the extended Ukrainian Catholic community. It was common for him and Isabel to welcome clergy and visiting seminarians into their home for suppers and family events, or to catch a Jets or Bombers game on TV, for that little taste of home life. While the path of the clergy was not his choice after a few months of study in the seminary, he was instrumental in guiding his nephew to the Redemptorist order, and with Isabel together faithfully raised their four children also to be active participants and leaders in the Ukrainian church community. He belonged to the fraternal society of the Knights of Columbus Fr. Shyshkowich council, and served as Grand Knight. He also served as Altarservers coordinator, working on the Parish Council in many capacities to pioneer events and projects, such as helping plan and coordinate St. Joseph’s annual Praznyk, and spearheading and coordinating the annual Parish Directory. Walter’s true passion was the music of the church, the Galician chant, and it’s preservation and promotion. He spent many summers promoting and organizing Cantor Schools for the traditional music of the Byzantine church, his mission was to provide the tools and training for the ongoing growth and perpetuation of the Ukrainian church and traditions. Through the school he and his devoted friends and colleagues brought together hundreds of faithful from across Canada and United States. Through this vehicle he was instrumental in helping to publish the first comprehensive Cantor’s songbook. One of the most memorable ways he will be remembered is by his presence in the choir loft on Sunday mornings where he rubbed shoulders with other big voices and sang his heart out.

Walter’s life was filled with the love and respect of family and friends. By his own example he taught his children respect for the history, hard work and progress of their Ukrainian ancestors, the value in honouring their traditions and bringing their meaning to family and community gatherings with his spoken words and prayers, his very presence. He taught the value of ongoing learning and education, constantly reading and having new insights on current world issues, with a huge fervour for political debate. But above all, his drive was to do everything he could for his family, in any way that he could, to support and inspire and guide no matter what path was chosen. And by his side in every pursuit, was his loving wife Isabel, supporting and guiding him as a true partner does, together united in purpose and faith.

Walter was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Mary (Gryba) Lukie, brother, Paul, sister, Amy (Arnason), and nephew, Dennis.

Left to mourn and remember him is his loving wife, Isabel; daughter Andrea, son Tim (wife Erin), son Chris (wife Tamara), and daughter Mia (partner Liam); his grandchildren Anastazia, Lukian and Kazimyr (Andrea), Callym and Oscar (Chris), Wyatt, Amelia, Scarlet & Josey (Tim); and his brother, Edward (Emily), sisters Ann (Roman) and Irene (Stanley), brother in law, Les Arnason, and many nieces and nephews that he loved dearly. 

Prayer service will be led by Fr. Dmytro Dnistrian, CSsR at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 20 at St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 250 Jefferson Ave.  Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by his nephew, Fr. Raymond Lukie CSsR at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday April 21 at St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lubov Foundation (Holy Family), Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine or St. Joseph’s Building Fund.

CHRYSTOS VOSKRES

KORBAN FUNERAL CHAPEL

204-956-2193

www.korbanchapel.com