D E M C H U K

When we began our research on this family we were unaware of the typescript Demchuk family history by Demetrius P. Demchuk, of Grandview, Manitoba, a copy of which was later given to us by Larry Hrehirchuk, of Winnipeg.^[1] Thus we in fact began with Vladimir J. Kaye’s Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography — [vol. 1] Pioneer Settlers of Manitoba, 1891-1900, which lists Wasyl Demchuk (ca. 1857-1934) and Ivan Demchuk (ca. 1863-1905+), who both came from Cyhany or Tsyhany [Цигани] (now Rudka), in the district of Borshchiv, oblast of Ternopil’, and province of Galicia, Austria (formerly part of Ukraine), in 1898, although on different ships.^[2] If they were kinsmen, we have failed to find any direct evidence on this point. Wasyl Demchuk’s son Toma, interviewed in the 1980s, rather vaguely stated that “other Demchuks came to Canada, but they settled elsewhere: one at Gilbert Plains and one at Benito.”^[3] Demetrius P. Demchuk’s manuscript genealogy mentions “one Mikhail Demchuk who was born near Kolomya, under the Carpathian mountains and farmed near Ethelbert in Manitoba,” and who had a concordant family tradition regarding “two brothers who left wealth in Russia and fled to seek freedom in Austria.”^[4]
    In our account below, the first two generations of the direct line are taken from the work of Demetrius P. Demchuk, which has not been corroborated with documentary evidence; we have somewhat revised his spelling, which is Anglicized and inconsistent. It will be noticed that between Oleksandr Demchuk (b. 1770) and his alleged grandson Wasyl Demchuk (b. 1857) is a rather large space of 87 years; for Fedor Demchuk, who is supposed to fall between them, no birthdate is given, and we have tentatively estimated it as falling midway between theirs, but possibly there should really be two generations in between.
    The manifest of the ship on which the Canadian branch of the family arrived would seem, according to Kaye’s account, to give ages for the children. However, comparison of these with their birthdates as stated in the 1901 census and ages as stated in the 1906 census, which are for the most part in fairly good agreement, force the conclusion that the ages stated on the manifest are completely unreliable.

             age according    age in       age in       age in
                  to Kaye:    June 1898*   July 1898**  June 1898**
    Stefan             17     12           13            11
    Katharina           5     --           10            --
    Maria               4      6            7 [or 8]     --
    Ilash [Oleksandr]   4      3            6-7         5-6
    Hnat                1      1            2            --
-------------------------------------------------------------------
 * calculated from date of birth, or age, as given in 1901 census
** Age as given in 1906 census, minus 8 years
** calculated from date of birth, or age, as given in 1911 census

Armed with Stefan’s drastically-revised birthdate from the 1901 census, it became clear that he was born well after the marriage of his father to Antonina Warowy, and so the supposition made in earlier versions of these notes that he was his father’s son by an unknown first wife is groundless, and must be retracted.
    Wasyl Demchuk was possibly uncle to Sylvester Demchuk,^[5] who is grouped with the “nephews” mentioned as pallbearers in the 1963 death notice of Wasyl’s widow, Antonina. Sylvester was demonstrably not a son of Fred Demchuk, another early settler of the Dauphin area who was also from the Borshchiv District but not Tsyhany.^[6] Therefore he may have been a son of Ivan Demchuk, the only other early settler of this surname. However, it is possible, and perhaps likelier, that the death notice included him among Antonina’s nephews in error, and that he was really her grandson Sylvester, son of her son Oleksandr.
    The surname Demchuk [Демчук] is found as Demczuk in the baptismal records of Kateryna (1889) and Mariya (1892) Demchuk, written in Latin, because Catholic priests usually used Polish transliterations when writing in the Roman alphabet. In Canadian records it generally appears as Demchuk, but occasionally as Demtchuk, Damchuk, or Damchak (as in the 1901 census), and also in the Polish form of Demczuk (as in the 1906 census and in several marriage records).
    A related file on the present website is our Ancestor table of the children of Leo James Lubiniecki and Alma Cecilia Reagan.
    Thanks are due to the following persons for assistance with these notes:

• Larry Hrehirchuk, of Winnipeg, who has supplied much material from his extensive files on the Demchuk family, including a copy of Demetrius P. Demchuk’s typescript Demchuk history (see links at the end of these notes)
• Sam Knight Gershen, for information on the Blahitka family,
• The brothers Chris and Mike Bostwick (not related to the Demchuks), who kindly provided copies of the baptismal records of Kateryna and Mariya Demchuk
• Shirley Bomak, daughter-in-law of a brother of Peter Bomak, late husband of Joyce Danylishen, for information on the Bomak family
• Carrie (Dyck) Campbell, a great-granddaughter of Michael Trush and Paulina Demchuk, who supplied information on their family, along with several family photographs

3. Fedor Demchuk, a landowner at Tsyhany aforesaid, in the Borshchiv district, province of Galicia, Austria (formerly part of Ukraine), b. apparently around 1811-15, d. in April 1866, and buried at Tsyhany, “in the new cemetery on the west side of the village.” He is so called in the typescript Demchuk family history by Demetrius P. Demchuk, and this is corroborated by the baptismal record of his granddaughter Kateryna Demchuk (no. 5), in which his name appears in the latinized form of Theodorus. Demetrius P. Demchuk however reports the name of the mother of his children as Anna Bilinski. However, his wife in the baptismal records of two granddaughters, Kateryna (1889) and Mariya (1892) Demchuk, his son Wasyl is specifically called “son of Theodorus Demchuk and Maria ____.” The issue of Fedor Demchuk included (besides other children whose descendants are being studied by Larry Hrehirchuk):

4. Wasyl (“William”) Demzuk or Demchuk,^[7] son of Fedor and Mariya Demchuk, who was b. in Dec. 1856 (per the 1911 census) or in 1857 (according to his tombstone and his nephew D.P. Demchuk)^[8] or 1 Aug. 1860 (according to the 1901 census) at Tsyhany, aforesaid, d. 7 March 1934 at the General Hospital, Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada,^[9] allegedly aged “77 yrs.,”^[10] and buried in St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Sifton.^[11] He m. before 1884 in Austria (the marriage year of 1892 given in her death notice being wildly incorrect), Antonina Warowy (or Waroway), b. at Tsyhany about 1866,^[12] d. 5 Oct. 1963 at Dauphin, stated in her death notice to have been “in her 95^th year” (literally, aged 94 years),^[13] and on her tombstone to have “lived 95 years,” and buried in the new section of St. Josaphat’s Cemetery (not beside her husband, where there was apparently no room remaining), daughter of Martin and Mariya (____) Warowy.^[14]
    Wasyl Demchuk is said by his Lubiniecki descendants to have been a land overseer before his immigration.^[15] He brought his family to Canada in 1898 on the Christiania, arriving at Halifax on 12 July 1898. On 26 Aug. following, as “Wasyl Demtchuk, farmer” he applied (successfully) for a patent to the southeast quarter of section 30, township 27, range 20 West of the Principal Meridian, at Valley River, near Sifton, Manitoba, where he was enumerated as a farmer in the censuses of 1901^[16] 1906,^[17] and 1911,^[18] and where he is listed in a directory published in 1923.^[19] He was naturalized on 31 March 1902.^[20] He should not be confused with an apparently unrelated and somewhat older Wasyl Demchuk, b. 1834, who d. 21 April 1926 in the municipality of Rockwood, near Selkirk, Manitoba.^[21] Some account of him and his family is provided by the interview with his son Toma made in the 1980s, and already cited above:

My parents arrived in Canada in 1898 and joined the Steve Shykulski family who arrived in the Sifton area in 1897. They brought five children with them and five others were born in Canada. From the first day on the farm five miles west and one mile south of Sifton they started to work hard — we all worked hard — and finally had the homestead fairly well developed. Though the soil was light it was not as poor a land as it was in the stony areas farther west; but it was wet.
    We children attended the Ukraina school…. All the children in my parents’ family had to go out and work, though one Demchuk [i.e. Nathaniel] was a teacher. I worked hard in Fort William and later went to Chicago.

Another account of him is given by his nephew, Demetrius P. Demchuk, in the latter’s manuscript Demchuk history:

Wasil was the second son of Fedor and Anna. Wasil was born in the village Tzihani in the month ____ 1857 A.D. and died at Sifton in Manitoba, Canada on March 7th 1934, buried in the Sifton cemetery. Wasil Demchuk married Antonia Warowy in Tzihani. Antonia was born in the same village on ____ and died October 5th, 1968 [sic, at least in typewritten copy; should be 1963].

    His death notice states, “The funeral of Wasyl Demchuk … took place Saturday afternoon from the family residence, seven miles southwest of Sifton, to the Greek Catholic Church, in Sifton, with Rev. J. Kolcun, Ethelbert, in charge. Interment was made in the Greek Catholic Cemetery.”
    His widow’s death notice reads, in part:

Mrs. Antonia [sic] Demchuk, one of the Dauphin area’s pioneer citizens, passed away in Dauphin on Saturday, Oct. 5, in her 95^th year. Funeral services were held from the Sifton Ukrainian Catholic Church Thursday, Oct. 10, with Very Rev. Dean G. Oucharyk officiating. Pallbearers were: James Danylishen, Peter Pomak, Ernest Trush, Sylvester Demchuk, Ted Trush and Don Trush, nephews of the deceased. Interment took place in the Sifton parish cemetery….
    Antonia Waroway [sic] was born in Austria, and came to Canada to the Sifton area in 1899 [recte 1898], where she homesteaded until retiring in 1934. She moved to Dauphin in 1962. She married William Demchuk in Austria in 1882. He predeceased her in 1939. She was active in the Ukrainian Catholic sisterhood in Sifton.
    She was survived by three sons and four daughters: Alex, Tom, and Tony, all of Sifton; Mrs. Mary Buyar, Mrs. Helen Danylishen, Dauphin; Mrs. Pauline Trush, Sifton; Mrs. William Blahitka (Natalie), Detroit, Mich. There are 40 grandchildren, 81 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.

As mentioned above, their son Toma, interviewed in the 1980s, stated, “my parents … brought five children with them and five others were born in Canada.” We can account for all ten of these children. However, according to the birth certificate of their daughter Paulina, who was the sixth of these (living) children, she was their tenth “liveborn” child, implying that there were four children older than her who died in infancy.

    Known issue (order partly inferential):

1. Stefan (“Stephen”) Demchuk, b. 2 Aug. 1884 (according to the 1901 census) or in Dec. 1886 (according to the 1911 census) in Galicia, continued as no. 5 below.
2. Kateryna Demchuk, b. and bapt. 3 June 1889 at Tsyhany, in the Borshchiv district, Galicia province, Austria (formerly part of Ukraine),^[22] d. 1945, apparently at or near Sturgis. The Lubiniecki family has preserved a correct tradition of her birthdate being 1889,^[23] which agrees with the statement in her marriage certificate that she was 15 years of age at the time. It is however reported incorrectly in a number of sources.^[24] She m. 15 May 1904 at Winnipeg,^[25] Julian Lubiniecki, b. 7 July 1880 (?) at Jazlowiec, in the province of Podolia, Poland (now Pomortsy in Ukraine), living 1945 at Regina, Saskatchewan, son of Anton Lubiniecki, of Jazlowiec and of Dauphin, Manitoba, by the latter’ wife Maria (or Mariana) Nasadnik or Nyczek. He came to the Keld District, near Dauphin, Manitoba, possibly so early as 1897 (as claimed in the entry for him in the 1906 census), and certainly by 1901, when as “Julian Lubinickie” he is enumerated in the census of the town of Morton, near Brandon, as a domestic servant in the household of a George Armstrong; this source states his birthdate as 7 July 1881 but his “age at last birthday” as 20, which is contradictory, and gives his year of immigration as 1895 and his annual income as $300.^[26]
       Julian Lubiniecki is enumerated in the 1906 census at section 24, in township 23, range 21 west of the Principal Meridian, with livestock consisting of 2 milk-cows, 6 other head of cattle, and no horses, sheep, or hogs, and his year of immigration to Canada (as previously stated) given as 1897.^[27] On 19 March 1909 he was patented the 160 acres forming the northwest quarter of this same land.^[28] But by August 1920 he and his wife were living on 9th Avenue S.W., Dauphin.^[29] According to Harvest of Memories, “Julian farmed for a while and worked as a carpenter, at times for as little as one dollar a day. He spoke five languages and often acted as an interpreter and teacher for other immigrants in the area. After Julian’s marriage to Katherine Demchuk, they moved to Sturgis around 1930, where Julian built and set up the first Red and White Store in town (where the former Sturgis Bookstore is located). Apparently he loved carpentry more than running the store. After Katherine died in 1945, Julian moved to Regina. He continued working as a carpenter.” See further under Lubiniecki for them and their seven children.
3. Mariya Demchuk, b. and bapt. 9 Dec. 1892 at Tsyhany,^[30] A number of sources report her birthdate or age erroneously.^[31] She is found as a child in her parents’ household in the 1906 census, she was still alive in 1963, when she is mentioned in her mother’s death notice. As “Maria Demczuk” she m. 18 Nov. 1907 at Sifton,^[32] Michael Buyar, b. ca. 1886 at Tsyhany aforesaid, d. 27 April 1954, aged 68 years, who was brought from Tsyhany to Sifton in 1897 by his parents, Ivan (“John”) Buyar, and his wife Eudokia (“Dora”).^[33] His surname is spelled “Bujar” in the marriage record. According to Kaye, they settled on a farm in the Ethelbert District, then in 1943 moved to Bowman. A year later they removed to Sifton, where they remained until 1952 before finally moving to Dauphin. Michael Buyar was survived by his wife, two sons, and five daughters. Issue:
   1. Lena Buyar, b. 1912; m. Roy Plachty (Plachy?). One son, Ed Platchty, m. Edith Pheiffer.
   2. Jeanie Buyar, b. 1909, d. 1930.
   3. Victor Buyar.
   4. Nellie Buyar.
   5. Tony Buyar.
   6. Natalie Buyar.
   7. Olga Buyar.
   8. Lydia Buyar.
4. Oleksandr (“Alex”) Demchuk, b. in Galicia, probably in 1893,^[34] d. 1968, and buried in the new section of St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Sifton. His name is given as “Ilash” on the ship manifest, and his age is given as 4, the same as for his sister Mariya, which is manifestly false. He is called “Yelko” in the 1901 census, and was still living unmarried with his parents in 1911. As “Ilko Demczuk” he m. 14 Feb. 1919 at Sifton,^[35] Mary Szewczyk, from Valley River, Manitoba, b. 1902, d. 13 Dec. 1986 at Dauphin, aged 84 years, and buried in St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery,^[36] daughter of Frank and Anne (____) Szewczyk.^[37] Alex Demchuk and his wife homesteaded in the Sifton district, living for some time in a house owned by his parents. For the Canadian Centennial of 1967 Alex Demchuk and his wife built the “Ukrainian Hut” at Sifton, which has since become a somewhat well-known tourist attraction. They retired in 1960 and moved into the village of Sifton. A photograph taken of them on their wedding day is printed in History of the R.M. of Dauphin, p. 83. His wife’s death notice states that she had 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. Issue, all alive in 1986 (order uncertain):
   1. Elsie Demchuk, alive in 2002; m. Harry Lesyk, of Sifton. Elsie Lesyk, of #1 - 34 3^rd Ave. NW, Dauphin, MB R7N 1H6. As Elsie Lesyk, she is the author of Wings Over Dauphin: A History of a Forgotten Era, on Dauphin’s role in the Service Flying Training Schools during World War II, which won an award from the Manitoba Heritage Federation; Tramboula, Cross of Freedom, a history of the Ukrainian pioneers of Trembowla, Manitoba; and Sifton Then and Now: A Reminiscence of the Pioneer Era (1992), a history of Sifton, Manitoba.
   2. Xenia (or Zenia?) Demchuk; m. John Cholka (or Chalka?), of Ethelbert.
   3. Verna Demchuk; m. Walter Hupalo, of Sifton. Probably they were the parents of Brian Hupalo and Ivan Hupalo, pallbearers at the 1986 funeral of Mary (Szewczyk) Demchuk.
   4. Sylvester Demchuk, of Sifton in 1986; m. Rosalie ____.
5. Hnat (“Nathaniel”) Demchuk, b. 30 Nov. 1895 in Galicia (according to he 1901 census), although he is said to have been aged only 1 year at the family’s passage in July 1898, and only 9 years of age at the taking of the census in June 1906, d. (unmarried) 26 June 1924 at Ethelbert General Hospital,^[38] and buried in St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Sifton. Kaye says, “The youngest [European-born] son, Hnat (Nathananiel), born 1896 in Tsyhany, was one year old on arrival in Canada; educated in Canada, became a school teacher.”
6. Paulina Demchuk, b. at Sifton, Manitoba, probably in 1899,^[39] living at Sifton in 1963, 1989, and 1991 (when she is mentioned in death notices of family members). She is found in the household of her parents in 1911. She m. 23 Nov. 1919 at Dauphin,^[40] Michael Trush, b. 24 July 1893 at Zembalie, Trembowla, Austria (now in the Ternopil province of Ukraine), d. 1955, son of Nestor Trusz (Нестор Труш) and Anna Kubiw. See photographs for this family below, kindly supplied by great-granddaughter Carrie (Dyck) Campbell. Issue:
   1. Donald Trush, who served as a pallbearer at the 1989 funeral of Anthony Demchuk. He m. Evelyn Medwedchuk.
   2. Ted Trush, m. Alice ____.
   3. Phylis Trush, m. Mike Pazunski.
   4. Ernie Trush, m. Mary ____.
   5. Marvin Trush, m. Alma ____.
   6. Mary Trush, m. Arther Frykas.
   7. Antoinette Hazel Trush, m. Wasyl (“William”) Puchailo, b. 1916, d. 2001, son of Stephen Puchajlo and Anne Komishin/Chomyszyn. Issue:
      1. Florence Puchailo.
      2. Syd Puchailo.
      3. Gladys Audrey Puchailo, b. 1957. She m. before 1981, Arthur Richard Dyck, b. 1944, son of Jacob Dyck and Elizabeth Jansen. They are the parents of:
         1. Carrie Elizabeth Antoinette Dyck, b. 15 April 1981 at Dauphin, Manitoba. She m. Allan Campbell. She is the contributor of the information on this branch of the family.
7. Toma (“Tom”) Demchuk, of Sifton, b. in Oct. 1901 (per the 1911 census), d. s.p. 5 June 1991, allegedly aged 87 years, and buried in the new section of St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Sifton (the birthdate on his tombstone not quite agreeing with the age of death as reported in his death notices).^[41] He is found in the household of his parents in 1911. He m. (probably after 1924) Catherine Saramaga, b. 1904, d. s.p. 1 Oct. 1987, who is buried beside him. Interviewed in the 1980s “at his home in the village of Sifton where he and Mrs. Demchuk (née Saramaga) retired,” he stated: “I worked hard in Fort William and later went to Chicago. After I got married, I went to Chicago for three winters to earn money to be able to get ahead. We did not get a homestead as in 1930 they were all gone but we bought a quarter [section] for $1,200, later adding 80 acres for which we paid $500; and when we left the farm [in 1939] we were only able to get $500 for the 80 acres in spite of all the hard work improving it. We have had a happy life in Sifton….”^[42] A portrait of him by his niece, the local historian Elsie Lesyk, states that he came to Sifton in 1939, purchased Monita’s Livery business, and set up a trucking and draying operation. “He was active in the community in different capacities — helped build the Parish Hall, was one of the original founders of the Sifton Credit Union, and one of the original founders of the Co-op and the Sifton Community Center. Mr. Demchuk and his wife never had children, but his cupboards were always filled with goodies for children who may pass by.”^[43] He was one of the founders of the Sifton Credit Union, and donated the land for St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Parish Cemetery. He spent his last days at Golden Harbour in Sifton.
8. Anthony (“Tony”) Demchuk, b. 28 Feb. 1906 at Sifton, d. 30 Aug. 1989 at Dauphin General Hospital, aged 83 years, and buried beside his wife in the new section of St. Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Sifton.^[44] He is found as a child in the household of his parents in the 1911 census. He m. 1938 at Ethelbert, Annie Kuba, b. 1909, d. 1982. They farmed in the Sifton district, and he is said to be of Sifton in his mother’s 1963 death notice. He retired from farming in 1985 and spent his last days in the Golden Harbour Senior Citizens Home, Sifton. His death notice states that he was survived by 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Only child:
   1. Sylvia Demchuk, living 1989; m. Victor Letendre, of Churchill, Manitoba. A son, Kelly Letendre, d. 1969.
9. Natalie Demchuk, b. 17 July 1908, d. 3 June 1998 at Houston, Texas, aged over 89 years.^[45] She is found as a child in the household of her parents in the 1911 census. She m. before 1943, William Blahitka, b. 20 Jan 1908, d. in Dec. 1984 at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, aged over 76 years.^[46] In 1963 they were of Detroit, Michigan, and in 1989 and 1991 of Fort Lauderdale. Issue:
   1. Eugene Blahitka, b. 3 Oct. 1933 at Dauphin, living at Windsor, Ontario, in 2003. He m. 9 Oct. 1954 at Windsor, Ontario, Jeanne Olga, b. 30 Oct. 1934 at Windsor. Only child:
      1. William Blahitka, b. 1958 at Windsor; m. at Mississaga, Ontario, Mary Allen. Issue: Michael Blahitka; Shannon Blahitka.
   2. Martin Blahitka, b. 1936, living at Marshall, Texas, in 2003. He m. 1961 at Detroit, Michigan, Marsha Hobin, b. 1940 at Anodarko, Oklahoma. Issue:
      1. Michael Blahitka, b. 1965 at Detroit; m. at Richardson, Texas, Kathy Campbell, b. 1965 at Houston, Texas. Issue: Leeann Blahitka, b. 1995 at Dallas, Texas; Lauren Blahitka, b. 1997, also at Dallas.
      2. Marni Blahitka, b. 1966 at Detroit; m. 1998 at De Solo, Texas, David Hollingsworth, b. 1966.
      3. Mark Blahitka, b. 1968 at Dallas; m.196 at Fort Worth, Texas, Nickole Lestor, b. 1968. Only child: Savanna Blahitka, b. 1999 at Fort Worth.
      4. Gladys (“Sam”) Blahitka, b. 27 Sept. 1943 at Windsor, living 2003. She m. (1), but subsequently divorced, David Cole. She m. (2) David Patchett. She m. (3) ____ Gershen. Issue:

         (by first husband:)

         1. Karen Cole.

         (by second husband:)

         2. David William Patchett.
10. Helen Demchuk, b. 10 May 1912 at Sclater, Manitoba, living at Dauphin in 1963, 1989, and 1991 (when she is mentioned in the death notices of family members). She m. 28 Oct. 1933, William Danylishen, b. 12 Feb. 1906 at Valley River, Manitoba, d. 1950. Issue:
    1. Florence Danylishen, b. 27 Feb. 1937 at Dauphin. She m. 15 Oct. 1955 at Grandview, Manitoba, William Bilawka, b. 26 June 1933 at Rossburn, Manitoba. Issue:
       1. Ron Bilawka.
       2. Darren Bilawka.
       3. Kevin Bilawka.
       4. David Bilawka, m. Jen ____. Issue; Eric Bilawka; Lauryn Bilawka.
       5. Karen Bilawka, m. Ron Kelly.
    2. Joyce Danylishen, b. 19 Aug. 1938 at Grandview, living 2007, and now (2007) of Calgary. She m. before 1963, Peter Bomak, b. 1937-38 at Dauphin, d. 26 May 2001 of cancer, aged 63 years, son of John Bomak and Nelle ____. His death notice reads, in part: “Peter was a fun loving person and achieved his goals in life through hard work and dedication. He was driven by endless devotion and love for his family. Peter will be remembered for his smile, courage, great sense of humour, strength and love by his loving wife Joyce [and] son Jason…. He was predeceased by his son Perry [and his] parents…. On Friday, June 1 a funeral mass was held at Holy Eucharist Catholic Church, officiated by Fr. Darren Kawiuk. Burial followed at Queen of Heaven Mausoleum, Assumption Cemetery.”^[47] Issue:
       1. Willam Perry Bomak, of Winnipeg, b. 13 Sept. 1963 at Neepawa, Manitoba, d. unmarried in 1995. He was employed by the University of Manitoba Library.
       2. Jason Bomak. He is married with one child and currently (2007) residing at Calgary.
    3. Shirley Danylishen, b. 31 Dec. 1942 at Grandview; m. Brian Mikich. Issue:
       1. Kristin Mikich.
       2. Alison Mikich.
    4. Jimmie Danylishen, b. 7 July 1944.

Hazel Trush, daughter of Michael Trush and Paulina Demchuk	Hazel Trush and her husband, Bill Puchailo
Three Puchailo siblings. From left: Syd, Florence holding Gladys	Ted Trush visiting the grave of his grandfather, Nestor Trusz [Нестор Труш] (1860-1927) at Zalawie in 2008
All photographs supplied by Carrie (Dyck) Campbell Click on thumbnails for larger images

5. Stefan (“Stephen”) Demchuk, son of Wasyl Demchuk and Antonina Warowy, was b. 2 Aug. 1884 (according to the 1901 census) or Dec. 1886 (according to the 1911 census) in Galicia,^[48] and d. 1 July 1946 at Dauphin, “following a short illness,” allegedly aged 63 years.^[49] He was still living unmarried with his parents at the taking of the census on 28 June 1906, but m. probably about 1908 , and certainly by 1911(but we have not found a registration of the event), Mary Jean Kruk, b. 14 July 1887 at Oleszyce, Galizia, d. 10 May 1947 at Dauphin,^[50] daughter of Anton Kruk and his wife Sophia (Botociuch?), who came to Canada in 1907.^[51] Stefan Demchuk and his wife are found in the household of his parents in the 1911 census. According to his death notice, “Mr. Demchuk … settled at Sifton, where he farmed until 1945, when he retired and moved to Dauphin.” An historian of the Kruk family writes, “According to Catherine Yakielashek, ‘My mother Mary married Steve Demchuk and farmed around Dauphin until moving to town in 1944. My mother Mary died in May of 1947 and my Dad July 1, 1946.’”^[52] Mary is called “of Sifton” in the 1932 death notice of her mother, but “of Valley River” in the 1935 death notice of her father.^[53] Stefan and Mary Demchuk are buried in Riverside Cemetery.
    It appears from the obituaries of Stefan and Mary (Kruk) Demchuk that two of their daughters married men named Yakielashek (or Jakielashek, as the name is written, somewhat inconsistently, in a few places). One of these was Catherine Yakielashek, above-mentioned, but we do not know which of these men she married. One of these sisters would appear to have been the mother of Marvin Yakielashek, a pallbearer at the 1977 funeral of John Kruk, brother of Mary (Kruk) Demchuk.
    Issue (all alive in 1947; order uncertain):

1. Tony Demchuk, of Dauphin, b. 1912 at Sifton, d. 24 Aug. 2004 at Dauphin, and buried in Dauphin Riverside Cemetery.^[54] He m. 3 July 1943 at Dauphin, Lena Korneluk, living 24 Aug. 2004 (she survived her husband). According to his death notice,

   Following his education he farmed with his dad in the Sifton area. Later [he] moved to Chicago, and stayed with family that had moved from Sifton; while in Chicago he was employed at a canning factory. Later Tony returned to Sifton and got acquainted with Lena Korneluk and … they were united in marriage. They then moved to Valley River with his parents and continued to farm. Tony and his dad helped to build the Valley River SS. Vladimir and Olga Ukrainian Catholic Church, where he and his family were active members. In 1972 Tony sold the farm and the family moved to Dauphin, where he did carpentry work; he built several houses and sold them.

   At the time of his death he had 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Issue (order uncertain), all except the first-named being alive at their father’s death:
   1. James Demchuk, d. v.p. 1975.
   2. Don Demchuk, of Dauphin in 2004; m. Betty ____.
   3. Andrew Demchuk, of Winnipeg in 2004; m. Lorraine ____.
   4. Edward Demchuk, of Edmonton in 2004; m. Liz ____.
   5. Gus Demchuk, of Dauphin in 2004; apparently unmarried.
   6. William Demchuk, of Stoney Plain, Alberta in 2004; apparently unmarried.
   7. Martha Demchuk, m. Herman Dobslaw, of Winnipeg.
   8. Pat Demchuk, m. (common-law) Don Kowaluk, of Spruce Grove.
2. Anne Demchuk, living 2004; m. Mike Atamanchuk, of Dauphin Rural District in 1946-47, and of Dauphin in 2004.
3. Catherine (“Cassis”) Demchuk, d. by 2004. She m. Mike Yakielashek (Yakaloshuk?), of Sifton in 1946-47.
4. Jeanne Demchuk, d. by 2004. She m. Pete Yakimitski, of Sifton in 1946-47.
5. Rose Demchuk, unmarried; living at Winnipeg in 1946-47 and at Toronto in 2004.
6. Victoria Demchuk, living 2004; m. after 1946, ____ Kubiew or Kubiw.
7. Pauline Demchuk, living 2004; m. Henry Winsa, of Hamilton, Ontario, in 1946-47 and 2004.
8. Verna Demchuk, living 2004; m. Steve Yakielashek, of Sifton in 1946-47, possibly the one of this name who served as a pallbearer at the 1972 funeral of Karol Kruk (brother of Mary Kruk).
9. Helen Demchuk, d. by 2004. She m. ____ Mizibrocky.

Notes

                       born      age birthpl.
Demczuk, Wasyl     head   m Dec.  1856 55 Galicia 1898 farmer
  "    , Antonina  wife   m Oct.  1866 45 Galicia 1898
  "    , Steven    son    m Dec.  1886 24 Galicia 1898 farmer's son
  "    , Mary  dau.-in-l. m Nov.  1891 20 Galicia 1897
  "    , Alexander son    s Sept. 1893 18 Galicia 1897
  "    , Thomas    son    s Oct.  1901  9 Man.   
  "    , Paulina   dau.   s Oct.  1898 12 Man.   
  "    , .......*  son    s Feb.  1905  6 Man.   
  "    , Natalka   dau.   s J...  1909  2 Man.
----------------
All ethnicities Ruthenian; all nationalities Canadian; family
members (including the daughter-in-law) who were born in Galicia
all have immigration date of 1904
* This must be the son Anthony, but the name is almost completely
illegible

Some Sites of Related Interest

• The Demchuk Family (1778-1910) by Demetrius P. Demchuk
  • as edited by the present writer [PDF]
  • scanned pages of original text [PDF; 2.2 MB]
  • extracted text [TXT]
• Harvest of Memories: Sturgis and District …, 1900-2000, by the Sturgis and District History Book Committee (Sturgis, Saskatchewan: the Committee, 2000)
  See the account of the Lubiniecki family, pp. 518-21
  <http://www.ourroots.ca/e/toc.asp?id=6123>
• Elsie Lesyk — A local author!
  <http://web.archive.org/web/20030122023420/ http://www.town.dauphin.mb.ca/worldmall/AandE/elsie97a.html>
• Dyck Family Tree, by Carrie (Dyck) Campbell
  <http://trees.ancestry.ca/tree/4310439/person/-1623010449>
• Demchuk Family board at RootsWeb
  <http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.demchuk/mb.ashx>

From the Genealogy Page of John Blythe Dobson
URL = cybrary.uwinnipeg.ca/people/Dobson/genealogy/ff/Demchuk.cfm
This page first appeared 15 June 2001
Last revised 5 May 2011