Anna T. Siwak

Anne (Anna) Tatianna Siwak (nee Hatala) passed away at 83 years old on August 4, 2024 in Williamstown, NJ.  She was the beloved wife of the late John Siwak; loving mother of Tanya Bilyj (Peter), John N. Siwak (Jennifer) and Teresa Siwak; dearest grandmother of Tatianna, Megan, Colleen, Peter Jr., and Jonathan; loving aunt of Joseph M. Hatala and the late Denise Krause (Glen).

Anna was born on December 11, 1940 and was the daughter of the late Stefan Hatala and the late Teresa Hatala (nee Kilyk) in Peremyshl, Ukraine. Manasterzec was the name of her village in the town of Sanok in Lesko County (now located in present day Poland).  

Anna was born fifth out of six children.  She is predeceased by all of her siblings: Joseph, the oldest child, died during World War II serving in the Ukrainian Army; Ostap died in Philadelphia in 2002 (he and his wife Mary had two children named Denise and Joseph); and Anna’s other siblings Michael, Katherine and Stefan Jr. died in their youth.

During World War II, her family was forced from their home which was a log cabin built by her father in Peremyshl.  The soldiers made Anna’s family leave their home with only the clothes on their backs.  She with her parents and brother Ostap were then taken in a Cattle Wagon to work on a farm in Regensburg, Germany. 

Anna often spoke of how she had to run and hide under a train as a field was being bombed during World War II.

Anna came to the United States of America on September 11, 1949 on a transport ship called the General C.C. Ballou.  After arriving in New York, her family settled in Philadelphia, PA.   Anna is a graduate of Immaculate Conception School, Philadelphia, PA (the grade school of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral); John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls High School, Philadelphia, PA; and she also took a few college courses at Temple University.

She was a parishioner of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia, PA and she was also a Cathedral Choir member.  Anna also sang at many Metropolitan Combined Choir events.

She met her husband John on a bus trip from the Cathedral going to the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate Pilgrimage in Sloatsburg, NY.  They sat on the bus one row in front of the other.  John sat with his mother Anastazia and overheard Anna talking to her mother about how she wanted to learn how to drive.  John chimed in on their conversation saying he could teach her to drive.  From there John started singing in the Cathedral Choir with Anna.  They were married on September 19, 1970 and were blessed to have three wonderful children Tanya, John and Teresa.

Among the jobs where Anna was employed included: Circulation Manager at Ames Publishing; Secretary at Immaculate Conception School (the grade school where she graduated); and Assistant Manager at Ascension Manor, a senior citizen housing complex.  After retiring, she often volunteered to help in the office at Ascension Manor.  She loved to be around the residents of the building and often offered the advice to always smile at everyone you meet because it doesn’t cost anything to smile.

Anna’s funeral service will be held on Monday, August 12th at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.  Her viewing will begin at 9 AM and be followed by a Funeral Divine Liturgy at 10 AM.  Burial will be at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery.

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