Maria Naumenko September 16, 1931 – March 21, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| View Guestbook Entries| Send Sympathy Card| Memorial Donation Maria Savovna Naumenko nee: Zhyla born 16 September 1931, in the village of Obukhiv, Obukhiv Region, Kyiv Oblast’, Ukraine passed on 21 March 2019. She is preceded in death by her husband Borys and her sister Nadiya. She is survived by her five children Halia (Late Nicholas Hlushko), Victor, Ihor (Khrystyna), Borys (Eugenia), and Very Reverend Father Taras (Laura) as well as grand children Natalia, Maria, Nicholas, Michael, Joseph, Alexis, Maya, Julian, Xenia and Zachary.
She is also survived by her sisters Valentyna Nalyvayko and Kateryna Hayduk. Maria was a woman of strength and God’s Light clearly shone through her. She was a survivor, who overcame the Russian communist terror, which eliminated 10 million fellow Ukrainians in 1932-33.
For her will to survive, her next test of strength was slave labor by the Nazis. Having overcome these tests of faith, she found herself in a Displaced Persons Camp in Augsburg, Germany. She recalled how she accidentally became one of the original members of the renewed Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) at Somme Kaserne, Augsburg because she could not embroider a neckerchief.
Several of her children and grandchildren followed her lead albeit more purposely. She immigrated to the United States in 1951 and upon arrival in Brooklyn, NY, she immediately, the next day, found employment as a seamstress. She found herself in Red Bank, NJ sewing parachutes for the US Military.
She fondly recalled how she and her workmates placed letters in the parachutes she sewed with fond wishes. She recalled how some of the notes were answered. Maria raised five children and she instilled in them a sense of service to God and to the United States of America.
Two of her sons served proudly in the U.S. Army and one of her grandsons follows the tradition. One of her sons had a calling from God and joined the priesthood in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. She also instilled in all of her children a sense of self and pride in our Ukrainian heritage.
Maria suffered ailments to include debilitating rheumatoid arthritis a gift from her strife of her youth. Maria never let this ailment stop her. She held the mantra of Contra Spem Spero (without hope – hope).
Maria had a contagious sense of humor and loved to laugh. She provided strength to her family at every turn. Maria’s talents were numerous to include a skilled seamstress.
Her sisters and daughter were the beneficiaries of those talents hardly ever having to shop retail when my mother showed her talents. Her cooking kept all of her children pleasantly plump. Her nalysnyky were light as air and delicious.
Her borshch was a full throttle assault on the taste buds. Maria epitomized love of God, love of her children, grandchildren, and entire family, love of life and love for the United States and Ukraine. She will be missed by legions.
Grant her Lord the Kingdom of God! Memory Eternal! A funeral liturgy will be held on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 11am at St. Andrew Memorial Church, 280 Main Street, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880.
Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 24, 2019 from 4pm to 8pm at CHUBENKO FUNERAL HOME, 625 Port Reading Avenue, Port Reading, NJ 07064. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of of Maria may be made St. Andrew Society, (assisting orphanages and the elderly in Ukraine) PO Box 495, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880 or Patriot Defense Humanitarian Fund, (teaching life saving skills to the Ukraine Armed Forces) 8785 Hall Road #180789 Utica, MI 48318.
SERVICES Viewing Sunday, March 24, 2019 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM Chubenko Funeral Home 625 Port Reading Ave. Port Reading, NJ 07064 Get Directions on Google Maps Parastas Sunday, March 24, 2019 6:00 PM Chubenko Funeral Home 625 Port Reading Ave.
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