John Ivan Andrusyshyn
December 27, 1925 – February 06, 2020
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Ivan Andrusyshyn was born in December 27, 1925 in the village of Chorostets, Ternopilska Oblast, Ukraine. His father Theodor and mother Caterina were farmers on their 1200 acre farm. They had five boys who worked the successful farm. Ivan finished Grade six and then WW2 began the Russians invaded Ukraine and took over their farm and left his family 1 acre and a few animals.
Ivan was a patriotic Ukrainian and fought in the underground against the Communists. His father worried for him and encouraged him to leave and head for Germany. He was 17 when he ended up in Ampfling near Munich where he joined an all Ukrainian militia guarding the airport there.
The war was lost and the Ukrainians were placed in refugee camps where he met his future wife Olga. Many Ukrainians headed back to Ukraine and were shipped to Siberia or murdered. Ivan decided he would head for Canada for freedom as it resembled Ukraine to him. First, he would have to prove he could support his wife and son Zenon. He worked on a farm, a brickyard, picked tobacco and other jobs until he landed a job at Ford Motor company in Oakville, Ontario. He worked there for 35 years. After two years Olga and Zenon arrived in Canada. Olga was then hired by General Electric and worked there for 25 years.
They began their life in Oakville and Ivan began working on his passions, his church and coaching his son Zenon in soccer. St. Josephs Ukrainian Catholic Church was built in 1961 by a small group of faithful Christians. And his soccer coaching set the foundation for his son to forge a career later in professional football in the CFL, NFL and the USFL.
Both children attained degrees from college something Ivan hoped they would achieve.
Ivan had another hobby that he loved. Sailing became his passion as he docked his sailboat at Balm Beach every summer. He loved life and encouraged his family to follow his steps. Later he was caretaker for Olga who suffered from Alzheimers and passed away in 2011.
He returned to Ukraine to help build another church there for his countryman. Those that met him saw his determination and strong commitment to character, integrity and sacrifice.
If you could put Ivan’s life in one statement it would be this. “Love God, love your family and serve others. And God would say “Well done good and faithful servant.”
Ivan passed away peacefully at Oakville Trafalgar Hospital in Oakville. Ivan is survived by his daughter Khrystia and son Zenon, his wife Sue and their children Zoe and Clayton Hummel and their son Mostyn. Grandson Zuri and his wife Kristi and their children Zara and Zander. Visiting will take place 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm and Prayers to be held at 7:00 pm Monday February 10, 2020 at Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home, Oakville 64 Lakeshore Rd W (one block east of Kerr St.) Funeral Mass to be held at St Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church Tuesday February 11, 2020 at 10:30 am.
SERVICES
Visitation
Monday, February 10, 2020
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home
64 Lakeshore Road West
Oakville, Ontario L6K 1E1
Funeral Mass
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
10:30 AM
St. Joseph’s Ukranian Catholic Church
300 River Oaks Boulevard East
Oakville, Ontario L6H 5T1
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Ivan Andrusyshyn December 27 1925 February 06 2020..
Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home
Death notice for the town of: Oakville, Province: Ontario