Piotr Heletkanycz

Petro Heletkanycz of Philadelphia, PA. passed away peacefully with his family by his side on November 7, 2018. He was 89 years old.

Petro was born in Turynske, Ukraine-Lemkivschyna (current day Turzansk, Poland) on March 1, 1929, to the late Ivan and Olena (Zherebna) Heletkanych. He and his siblings (+Mykhaylo, +Olena, +Teklya) were raised by their mother while their father worked in Argentina. In 1947, Petro, his family and Ukrainians living in Lemkivschyna were deported from their homeland by Akcja Wisla. Petro and his family resettled in Soviet Ukraine, where he completed his education and worked for the Ministry of Arts and Culture as a Cinema Operator in Kozova (Ternopil Oblast). Petro was later promoted to a Director position in the Ministry of Arts and Culture in Chervonohrad (Lviv region). Petro married his beloved wife Maria Perun in April 1957 and their first child Anna was born in Chervonohrad in 1960. After obtaining permission from the Soviet Polish Government, Petro and his family resettled back in Turynske, Lemkivschyna where Miroslaw and Roman were born in 1964 and 1969, respectively. In 1991, Petro immigrated to the United States and resided in Philadelphia, PA where he enjoyed spending time with his family.

Petro will be lovingly remembered by: his beloved wife of 61 years Maria Heletkanycz (née Perun), brother Vasyl Heletkanych in Ukraine, daughter Anna Yaworsky (John), son Miroslaw Heletkanycz (+Maria) in Poland and son Roman Heletkanycz (Danuta). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Oksana Yaworsky Bagnell (James), Natalie Yaworsky Lamley (Pieter), Ania Heletkanycz, Natalia Heletkanycz Szady (Reverand Pavlo), Andrew Heletkanycz, Daria Heletkanycz, great-grandchildren, Sophia Bagnell, Daniel Bagnell and Kamila Lamley, and many nieces and nephews in Ukraine.

Relatives and friends are invited to Petro’s viewing beginning at 6:00PM on Friday, November 9th at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, 6740 N. 5th Street in Philadelphia, PA. Panakhyda Prayers will be sung at 7:00PM. The Funeral service for Petro will begin at 10:00AM on Saturday, November 10th at the Cathedral with family greeting guests at 9:00AM. Petro will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery in Elkins Park, PA. A Memorial Mass and Panakhyda will also be held in Turzansk, Poland at the St. Michael Archangel’s Church on Saturday at 10:00AM by Reverand Marko Gotsyk (Turzansk), Reverand Andriy Zuraw (Komancza), Reverand Pavlo Szady (Przemysl).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Michael Archangel’s Church in Turzansk, Poland, where Petro and his family before him worshipped for over 200 years. If you wish, checks may be made payable to Anna Yaworsky, please write on the memo line "St. Michael's Archangel Church - Turzansk, Poland". 

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