Michael Dudar – September 29, 1920 – March 28, 2021
On March 28, 2021, at the age of 100 (and a half) Michael (Mike) Dudar reposed in the Lord, took his place in the heavenly abode and entered into his eternal place of rest.
Son of John Dudar and Antonina (Chomniak), Mike was predeceased by his wife Stephania (Stella), his eldest daughter Elaine (Slawko), his four siblings, Anne, Marie, Ernie and Victor and his grandson Christopher.
Mike is survived by his children Michael (Mary), Deacon Donald (Grazyna), and Marion (Brian), his grandchildren, Stephan, Lesia (Jamie), Tamara (Dan), Adam (Masha), Stephanie (Frank), Jennifer (Adam), Elizabeth (Nicholas), Carolyn (Matthew), as well as thirteen great-grandchildren.
Born and raised in Ethelbert, Manitoba, Mike’s parents instilled in him a strong faith and love of his Ukrainian heritage, which were expressed fully in the life he led.
After completing high school Mike ventured away from his homestead to make a better life for himself. He settled in Toronto where his sisters introduced him to Stella his wife.
In Toronto, Mike became affiliated with the Ukrainian Catholic Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. He was part of the community that acquired the building that is now St. Nicholas parish. As the needs of the parish grew, the church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Bathurst St. was resurrected with Mike as president of the Parish Council. Over the years he was also active in the youth group and church choir. As the parish needs grew again Mike was instrumental in establishing the new Holy Protection of the Mother of God parish on Leeds St. in Toronto where he served as a member of the Parish Council, until the early 1970s when he and Stella relocated to Mississauga. There they joined Holy Dormition Parish where Mike took pride in leading the parish Krylos (leaders of liturgical singing) and he was renowned for expressing his strong religious faith in liturgical chant. True to his spirit Mike joined the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood where he served in various leadership roles.
In the 1950s, after working at several jobs, Mike became an electrician and continued in this field until his retirement. This past September he was thrilled when The International Brotherhood of International Workers (IBEW) awarded Mike with a gold watch for his 55 years of membership.
Michael was very proud of being a Charter member of the Knights of Columbus, Sheptytsky Council 5079. eventually serving as Grand Knight and 4th Degree Faithful Navigator. Mike continued as best he could as an active member of the 4th Degree until his passing. He loved being a part of the group and enjoyed many events and card games with his Brother Knights.
Along with Stella, Mike was a strong supporter of the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate. He provided significant support to Mount Mary Retreat Centre in Ancaster, with his tireless contributions to the annual Marian Pilgrimage.
Mike was a founder and member of the Board of Directors of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Credit Union, until it’s amalgamation with Ukrainian Credit Union.
In their retirement years, Mike and Stella lived their dream of purchasing land to build their own home and in fact built several houses in Mississauga. When living independently became challenging Mike and Stella moved to Ivan Franko Retirement Home. There, he continued in his lay spiritual leadership, serving as cantor and starting and leading the recitation of the rosary, twice weekly.
Mike was incredibly proud of his heritage as a 2nd generation Canadian born to parents of Ukrainian heritage. His early family spoke only Ukrainian in the home and he learned English once he started school.
Mike’s upbringing made him a staunch admirer of the early pioneers from Ukraine in Canada. who encountered many struggles and made many contributions. Mike was always eager to ensure that no one forgot their efforts. Immigrants arriving in later years found Canada a more welcoming and hospitable place, whether in terms of spirituality, community services and education, or financially.
Despite numerous health setbacks, Mike’s zest for life no doubt contributed to him becoming one of Canada’s latest centenarians. He was blessed with a sharp mind, being a whiz with numbers and having a great memory. In his younger years Mike loved to do crossword puzzles and up until his last days enjoyed the thrill of scratch tickets. His children and grandchildren are blessed to have had him to share in their lives for so many years, hear his stories and learn from his experiences. His legacy will live on through them.
Mike took every challenge and opportunity put before him and earned a place as an invaluable leader in the community Through his fruitful life, Mike was an inspiration to many and will be missed by his family, friends, and all the community groups he has impacted through the years.
Michael, Don and Marion extend sincere thanks to the medical community, family and friends for their support and caring of their father, and in particular Ivan Franko Homes and The Carpenter Hospice during the recent months.
Vichnaya Pamyat
In memory of Michael, please consider a donation to:
The Carpenter Hospice
Ivan Franko Homes
St. Elias Ukrainian Catholic Church
Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate
Ukrainian Canadian Care Centre
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Michael Dudar Sunday March 28th 2021..
Death notice for the town of: , Province: Ontario