Obituary of Lidiya Ivashyna

It is with deep heartache we announce the passing of Lidiya Ivashyna (nee Tsymbal) on Saturday, May 24, 2025, in West St. Paul, Manitoba at the age of 84.

She is predeceased by her mother Hanna Tsymbal (nee Luzan), father Pylyp Tsymbal, and brother Volodymyr Tsymbal.

Lidiya was born in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine on March 29, 1941. As a little girl, she moved with her parents and brother to her parents' homeland Myronivka, Ukraine, where she grew up and went to school. As an adult, she and her daughter moved to Kyiv where she lived and worked as an accountant at a Kyiv bank.

She was a cherished mother of her only daughter Olga (Volodymyr). Memories of her love, kindness, love of nature and Ukraine will forever live on in her granddaughter Anna Berkis (nee Lakhno) (Michael), and great grandkids Melina and Jacob.

Lidiya was a strong and selfless woman throughout her whole life. Passionate about her Ukrainian heritage and traditions, she did everything she could to preserve them, which wasn’t easy in those times. Her love of music came through in everything she did. Sopilka, bandura, and bayan, are just a few of the musical instruments she loved so much, but any melody, any instrument, is where she always turned to. She had a beautiful voice and sang in a choir Prosvita. Always being the core of all gatherings with her many friends, she held people together, and always put others first. You could always count on a funny gumoreska that she would cheerfully recite, a beautiful Happy Birthday song or a toast to those she loved. In her free time, she enjoyed crocheting, making  countless souvenirs, animals and hair accessories for her loved ones. She baked the best rogalyky with homemade apple and cranberry jam, and her borsh was known by all family and friends. She didn’t keep much recipes, and just added love and a sprinkle of this and that - we will not give up on trying to at least come close to the ones she made.

In 2000, her daughter moved to Canada with her family, and Lidiya stayed in Kyiv for three more years, waiting to join them. In 2003 Lidiya moved to Canada and spent the rest of her life living with her family here. It was a very difficult change, leaving so many people behind whom she held so dear, but also happiness to be together with her daughter again.

She loved animals, nature and had the heart of gold, caring for every living creature and getting so much joy from snuggling with cat Frasier or playing with dog Junah, and watching the birds and squirrels come to the yard over the years.

In 2017 she met her first great granddaughter and in 2019 great grandson. Watching them grow up gave her a new life, and they had the most amazing irreplaceable bond.

In 2024 her illness took a turn for the worst, but she continued to cheer for the people she loved, reminding to live life to the fullest. The illness may have taken her body, but never her spirit or memory of those she loved.

She will always live in our hearts and is so deeply missed. May she now sing with the Angels.

We will forever love, miss, and remember you, Babulya.

A poem farewell in her honour by her dear cousin (who we always called her brother) Victor Luzan:

Прощальне слово

дорогій сестрі Лідії

   Віктор Лузан

Стрепенулась

              калина,

І верба похитнулась.

Нині вперше матуся

До дітей

       не всміхнулась.

Не всміхнулась,

             не встала ,

Ні про що

           не спитала...

-- Мамо, мамо,

               чого ж Ви ?..

Мовчала.

Відкували зозулі,

       і гаї відшуміли...

Рястом вквітчана

                    стежка

Урвалась...

                Зомліла,

Впала чаєчкою

       на гаї солов'їні...

Залишила дітей

   і пісні Україні.

A sincere thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff who made her life more comfortable. Your kindness and attention did not go unnoticed.

A funeral service will be held on May 30, 2025 at Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Cathedral, with final resting place at the All Saints Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to an Animal Shelter of your choice.