I was fortunate to speak to Marcia and Don Zeleny. Marcia is 83 years old and Don is 85. The couple has been married for 27 years.
They recently moved into a charming apartment at Flinder’s Place. They have a blended family of three children and four grandchildren. Both Don and Marcia are of Ukrainian decent. Marcia’s parents were Walter Kingerski and Helen (Basaraba). In later years Helen divorced Walter and married Elmer Kitzul.
Don’s parents were Peter Zeleny and Malania Mech, both born in Ukraine. Malania came from the village of Kutee. The couple met and married in Fort Frances.
Marcia’s maternal grandfather was John Basaraba, who immigrated to Manitoba from Austria. Marcia’s grandmother, Katherine Lupichuk, was born in the Shell River District.
John saw Katherine in church one Sunday, proposed to her the next Sunday and they were married the third Sunday.
The couple had 11 children – seven boys and two girls. Sadly an additional two died in infancy. The couple settled in Fort Frances, but Katherine passed at 40 years old.
Marcia’s paternal grandparents were Joseph and Rosalie Kingerski and it’s believed Joseph was Polish.
Both Marcia and Don were born in Fort Frances, both attended St. George’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church, from Sunday School right up to attending Sunday services today. They both attended Ukrainian classes and Marcia still belongs to the church choir.
The couple fondly remember Walter Andrusco teaching Ukrainian dance, language and carolling. Walter was the choir director for over 60 years.
Marcia (like so many ladies) has wonderful, heartfelt memories of the church ladies catering many meals at the Prosvita Hall (Ukrainian Hall). Plays, concerts and dances were also enjoyed at the Hall.
Marcia showed me the beautiful Easter eggs she has made. She told me Don’s mom did beautiful Ukrainian cross stitch on tablecloths, doilies pillowcases and she showed me a white shirt that his mother did cross stitching on.
When I asked Marcia about her home as a child, she replied, “we lived in a tar paper shack on Smith Ave.”
Marcia remembers a good childhood. She was grateful for lots of uncles, aunts and cousins.
Both Don and Marcia grew up honouring all the Ukraine traditions and still do today. Marcia shared with me that her daughter regrets never learning Ukrainian dance, but stated proudly that her grandson Dawson taught himself the language and traditional dance. When he phones, they speak in Ukrainian.
Marcia took a tour of Ukraine about ten years ago, with about a dozen others out of Winnipeg. There she learned traditions, attended in authentic wedding, and toured monasteries, churches and museums. The beauty of the country amazed her.
Marcia is very busy in her church. She is the president and has been for many years, taking over from Nelson Rogoza. She is also a member of the St. Anna Ukrainian Women’s Association Canada.
Marcia shared with me in the mid 1920 there were more than 200 Ukrainian families in the district. She believes that during the war, a lot of Canadian men were serving in Europe. While there, they married and brought there wives with them, and the families followed.
When the question was asked to Marcia and Don “What do you like most about your Ukrainian roots. Both responded “the traditions, the hardworking people, and we love the church.”
Marcia, like many of the people I interviewed, calls herself a Ukrainian Canadian – extremely proud of her Canadian citizenship and equally proud of her Ukrainian roots.
When our conversation turned to the invasion of Ukrainian both Marcy and Don said they “were shocked and didn’t think Putin would do it.”
Don said he “didn’t think Putin would be that stupid.”
It saddens them to think there are maternity hospitals and homes with children that are being attacked. Both are happy with Zelenskyy’s performance.
Don feels in some ways other countries are fearful of overstepping their boundaries, out of worry that Ukraine might be chastised by the Russians.
Marcia watches a lot of news on the T.V. Don shared he can’t watch too much as it’s so very disturbing.
When asked if there was last words they’d like to share they said, “It’s just such a sad thing. We are living a good life. To see what they are living with breaks your heart. Pray for them, send money if you can and then pray some more.”
