Christine Hanas

Christine Hanas (née Dasho) died peacefully in her sleep on February 25, 2024.  Christine was born on July 7, 1931, in the town of Staryj Sambir, Lviv oblast, Ukraine, where she spent her formative years.  Being from the Carpathian Mountain region, she was very proud of her Boyko ethnic cultural heritage.  She grew up foraging for wild mushrooms and berries, an activity she enjoyed her entire life.

In July 1944, as a result of the war in Europe, persecution by the Nazis and the approaching Russian army, she and her family fled Ukraine.  They were ultimately relocated to a displaced persons (DP) camp in Neu-Ulm, Germany.  In the DP camp, she attended and graduated high school.  She was an active member of Plast, Ukrainian scouts, where she made some of her best life-long friends.  As a member of the Berkut Sports Club, she won numerous archery medals.

After being sponsored by the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the US, she and her family emigrated to Madison, IL, where her father became the local parish priest of St. Mary’s Protection Ukrainian Greek Catholic church.  She attended Marygrove College in Detroit, MI, on a scholarship, where she received a degree in Chemistry.

She met her future husband, Orest, when he came to Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s while stationed at Scott Air Force Base in Belleville, IL.  They were married on her birthday, July 7, 1960, and moved to Philadelphia, PA, where Orest started his career after leaving the US Air Force.

Christine was a very active member of the Ukrainian community in Philadelphia.  Together with her friends, she was involved in organizing the neighborhood Ukrainian nursery school.  She also was very engaged with the Ukrainian Scouts, as a long-time hnizdova/head of girls’ cub scouts/novatstvo, organizing meetings, outings and overnight trips, as well as fund raising for them.  Additionally, she was one of the founding members of the Ukrainian Scouting sorority “Kniahyni”.

Her philanthropic activities included the Kobzar Society, a nonprofit she helped co-found.  The organization was dedicated to collecting, refurbishing, and sending computers to schools, orphanages, libraries, and hospitals in Ukraine. 

An avid knitter, crocheter, and cross-stitcher of Ukrainian embroidery, she often used her talents in hand making gifts for family and friends.   She loved to ski and was an active member of the Ukrainian Ski Club in Philadelphia.

A feisty, fiery, independent woman, Christine raised her children with a strong Ukrainian heritage and culture.  She was a loyal friend to those who knew her and enjoyed celebrating friends for every occasion.  She adored her grandchildren and loved spending time with them.  She always lived in the moment.

Christine is predeceased by her parents, the Rev. Stanyslav and Maria Dasho, and her brother Yurko.  She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Orest, her children Aleksandra Hanas, Anya Hnateyko (Timish) and Teresa Manko (Mark), as well as her grandchildren, Taya and Marko Hnateyko. 

 In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Plast’s “Scouts for Ukraine” campaign to sponsor Summer Camps for refugee Scouts. Checks should be made payable to “Plast Conference, Inc.” indicating “Summer Camps in Memory of Christine Hanas” on the check memo line.  Or if giving on-line, write “Summer Camps in Memory of Christine Hanas” in the optional note box as part of the donation flow.  https://scoutsforukraine.org/

Christine's viewing will be held on Friday at 10:30 AM at St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church.  Requiem Services will be sung at 11:30 AM.  Burial will follow at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery.

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