Maria was born on July 17, 1925, in the town of Zastavna, Bukovyna, in south-western Ukraine. She went to primary school in Zastavna and then to “gymnasia” in Chernivsti. One fateful day during the Second World War, her father, who was mayor of Zastavna at the time, got word that the Soviets had him on their blacklist and were coming for him. With only a few suitcases containing clothes and other necessities in hand, Maria, her father and mother, Mykola and Maria Haras, and sister, Orysia, left behind their house and land and all their other belongings and fled to Chernivtsi. From there they made their way to Breslau, Germany, and subsequently, through a number of stops, back to Lviv, where they resided for about two years. Afterwards, while the German armies were beating a retreat before the onrushing Red Army, the family left Lviv and headed for Austria, but eventually ended up in a refugee camp in Munich, Bavaria. Maria was able to complete two years of a programme in medicine and one year in dentistry at the University of Munich, before the family could emigrate to Canada, in 1948. The family first settled in Sault Ste. Marie, where Maria met and fell in love with Myron Kowalsky, whom she married in 1949. A little later the family moved to Toronto, where they all lived thereafter, with the exception of Halya, who moved to London, England in her early 20s. Maria and Myron’s three children, Halya, Borys, and Orest, were all born and raised in Toronto.

Among the many accomplishments of Maria’s life were her completion of a Master’s Degree in Library Science at the University of Toronto, and her work as librarian at Robarts Library for many years. Maria and Myron enjoyed spending their summers at their cottage not far from Wasaga Beach, where they were frequently visited by family from England. Later, in their retirement years, they would travel to their home in North Port, Florida, to delight in the warm climate and natural beauty of the land during the winter doldrums. They also actively participated in the life of the Ukrainian community in North Port.

Maria passed away quietly in her sleep on July 19, 2021, age 96. She was predeceased by her husband Myron (d. 2005) and survived by her sister, Orysia, and three children – Halya (Peter, d. 2009), Borys (Petrusia), and Orest (Christine); five grandchildren – Ivan (Sharon), Marko (Josie), Boris (Louise), Basil, and Marika; and five great grandchildren – Chloe, Oliver, Lola, Myron, and Myla.

Due to COVID-related restrictions on attendance, there will be a brief prayer service (“Panakhyda”) for family only, at Turner and Porter Funeral Home (Bloor West Village), Tuesday, July 27, starting at 10:00 a.m. Afterwards (on the same day), there will only be an outdoor funeral service at the grave-site of Myron and Maria Kowalsky at Saint Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery – West Oak Memorial Gardens, Section 3C (1280 Dundas Street West, Oakville), and it is expected to commence sometime between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. Friends are welcome to join the family for the funeral service. (For a picture of the grave-site, please copy and paste the following link into your browser https://billiongraves.com/grave/Myron-Kowalsky/41820312 )

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Maria’s memory to Ivan Franko Homes (3058 Winston Churchill Blvd., Mississauga, ON, L5L 3J1).