Helena Dubik

It is with great sadness that the family of Helena Dubik announces her passing on February 17, 2025.

Helena Dubik, née Skuratko, was born on October 3, 1937, in the village of Terebeni. There she grew up with her Ukrainian parents Mykhailo and Anastasia and three siblings. Helena's early years were marked by the hardships of World War II, but even amidst those hardships she cherished a moment of kindness when a soldier gave her a chocolate bar – a memory that stayed with her for life.

At the age of 18, she married Yaroslav (Slavko) Dubik and they worked hard to sustain themselves and their family after being forcibly resettled. They welcomed their first child, Nadia, in 1957 and in 1962 with the financial support of family they resettled to Canada to begin a new life, welcoming their second child Bohdan shortly after arriving. A couple years after immigrating, Helena and Yaroslav purchased their first home on Burrows Avenue, starting their own "hospodarka”, complete with vegetable garden, flower garden, and mini-orchard. They welcomed their third child, Lesia, in 1965.

Due to her husband’s poor health, Helena worked and supported the family initially doing private housekeeping and eventually securing a full-time job at Holy Family Nursing Home. She created a strong and loving family foundation rooted in faith, hard work and care for one another.

Despite Yaroslav’s sudden passing in 1981, Helena's family continued to grow with the marriages of Nadia (Vlodko) and Bohdan (Debbie), who collectively blessed her with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Helena lovingly supported her children and grandchildren, delighting in babysitting and making their favorite chicken noodle soup and Ukrainian dishes.

Helena had a passion for gardening, especially tending to her vegetables and she also adored her front flower garden filled with geraniums and begonias. After retirement, Helena was a regular perogy pincher at church and enjoyed roadtrips to Pineridge Hollow to enjoy a good latte. She also took time to travel to visit family in Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Mundare, Paris and Jarzen Poland.

When not tending to the garden Helena enjoyed her daily soaps watching "The Young and the Restless," reading Danielle Steele novels and the Ukrainian Harry Potter series, knitting and embroidering, and feeding family her delicious meals. Her faith was evident in her daily readings from her prayer book and she was a lifetime member at Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Helena passed on February 17, 2025, at Holy Family Nursing Home after a weeklong struggle with a respiratory illness. The family would like to thank the staff of Holy Family Nursing Home and Dr. Terry Babick for their care of Helena.

Parastas will be held on Friday, February 21 at 7pm at Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 965 Boyd Avenue.

Funeral Divine Liturgy will be held on Saturday, February 22 at 10am at Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church.

Vichnaya Pam’yat.