Ilko Cap

ILKO CAP

Born: August 1, 1922

Date of Passing: December 24, 2019

ILKO CAP August 1, 1922 – December 24, 2019 It is with sadness that the family of Ilko Cap announces his death in his 97th year, on December 24, 2019 at Holy Family Home in Winnipeg. He was born in the village of Hordynia, Lvivska Oblast. . He was a dedicated husband to Walentina Cap for 74 years. His wife Walentina died earlier this year in March. He is survived by his  three sons, Orest, Ihor and Alexander; and one daughter Julia (Pitt) in Montreal. Many nieces and nephews, and grandchildren living across the country remain to remember him.

Our dad survived the Polish occupation of Western Ukraine during the inter war periods, and the  Nazi labour camps during World War II. Ilko was taken from his village as a youth to work in the Nazi slave labour camp where he met his wife to be. Together with Walentina they worked the mines as slave labourers in Bochum, Westphalia until the end of World War II.  After the war, Ilko worked in the mines in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France.

In the early 1950s, I. Cap immigrates to Canada, where his difficult work life continues as a lumber jack in Kapuskasing, Ontario, then in the nickel mines in Sudbury, Ontario, later to Montreal working in the scrap yard, doing construction work building the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, and finally 35 years of shipping and receiving with the J. J. Marshall paper specialties company. All this time he remembered his Ukraine and actively participated in the Ukrainian community’s cultural life such as the local choirs  and the League for the Liberation of Ukraine. He loved to read his Ukrainian newspapers and actively participated in various demonstrations for the liberation of Soviet Ukrainian political dissidents and other prisoners of conscience. Ilko and his wife Walentina dedicated the rest of their time to the upbringing of their family. Ilko always encouraged the development and education of his children.

Besides helping his family in Canada, Ilko and Walentina managed to send regular help to relatives in the former Soviet Ukraine and provided financial assistance to many humanitarian projects. He finally travelled to see his beloved Ukraine in 1992 and remaining family members who survived the Russian Stalinist regime. His patriotic feelings did not leave him until his dying days. Our family will mourn the passing of this remarkable survivor, who through his stories and by example taught us about hard work, human rights, love and forgiveness, and the courage to stand up for what’s right.

Our family would like to thank Dr. Andrea and Taras Babick and all the caregivers at Holy Family Home who looked after our dad and who were able to find and preserve his personhood in these last years. We would also like to thank our friends and families for the many supportive words and acts of kindness that we have received over his many years of life. Funeral Divine Liturgy will be celebrated by Msgr. Michael Buyachok at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, December 27, at Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, 115 McGregor St. Interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery. If so desired, the family would appreciate a donation in his memory to the Ukrainian Canadian Social Services - MB Branch, or to a charity of your choice. VICHNAYA PAMYAT KORBAN FUNERAL CHAPEL 204-956-2193 www.korbanchapel.ca