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Barbara Chomyn (nee Derewianka)
January 1, 1927 – November 17, 2023
It seems difficult to believe that dementia can be so cruel, so devastating to a woman who clung to her intelligence and fast mind to excel in all her endeavours.
Barbara was born in Solotvin, Ukraine. During the second world war she was removed from her home with her father Michael Derewianka to work on German farms. When the war concluded, they were not allowed to return to their home country. Barbara married Peter Chomyn. They managed to immigrate to Canada on a work program where they worked on a farm for a year to pay for their passage.
Barbara never stopped working. She had a goal to raise her family and make a better life for them. She very much succeeded in that goal. She created a beautiful home in Collingwood Ontario and lived there for many many years. She worked at the little pastry shop in downtown Collingwood and at Dahls seat belt factory. She loved her gardens and her flowers and was well known to be taking bouquets of fresh flowers from her garden to people about town that gave her friendly service. She was a proud recipient of a national literacy award. She had struggled so hard to learn to read and write English while juggling her many busy tasks. She became a national spokesperson for literacy at the convention in Banff, Alberta.
Family was always paramount to Barbara. She cherished and nurtured her own father until he passed away in his 99th year. Her husband passed June 2013.
It was painful to witness her many years of struggling against the wretched dementia taking away bits and pieces of her mind slowly but aggressively.
Barbara leaves behind her son, Jerry Chomyn and his wife Donna, her daughter Irene McLeod, her grandchildren Christopher Chomyn (Christine), Natalie Chomyn (Glen), and Nicole Priestley. Also, her great- grandchildren Michaela, Brooklyn, Aurora, Brianna (Brandon), Madison (Jesse) Benn, Ariadne, Meghan, Cassandra and Christian. One great-great grandchild, Bowen.
Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday November 21, 2023, at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. Interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery. In lieu of flowers gifts to the Alzheimer Society or Red Cross for the war efforts in Ukraine would be greatly appreciated.
Friday November 17th 2023
Death notice for the town of: Collingwood, Province: Ontario
death notice Barbara Chomyn Friday November 17th 2023
obituaries notice Barbara Chomyn Friday November 17th 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Barbara Chomyn Friday November 17th 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.