Woven Branches

Kateryna Zwarych, daughter of Iwan Zwarych and Maria Dolyniuk, was born on 17 December 1881 at Tulova, Ukraine.

Kateryna likely attended several years of school in the village because she was able to read and write Ukrainian. The local school had three grades with each grade taking two years to complete. She likely started school in 1889 at the age of seven.¹

Kateryna married Constantine Lepchuk in 1898 at Ukraine.¹

In the spring of 1900 Kateryna's parents and siblings left Ukraine for Canada along with several other families from the village. Kateryna likely wondered if she would ever see her family again.

Constantine was killed in service during the First World War and Kateryna was left alone to raise her four young sons. Her mother, Maria, was able to assist Kateryna to immigrate. In October 1922 Kateryna left with her three youngest sons. The eldest, Elias, stayed behind on the family farm. They travelled first to Warsaw, Poland, likely by rail, and departed there likely in late October bound for England to meet up with Kateryna's brother, Peter Svarich.² On 2 November 1922 they left with Peter from Southampton³and arrived at Quebec on 11 November 1922. They travelled from there to Vegreville by rail on the CNR.²

Kateryna must have met Jacob Davidiuk shortly after arriving at Vegreville for they were married in 1923. Jacob had four sons and two daughters from a previous marriage.¹

In 1929 Jacob and Kateryna purchased homesteads for their five eldest sons in the Peace River district. John Lepchuk, the youngest son, remained on the farm with his parents until 1952.

By the late 1950s Jacob and Kateryna decided to rent out the farm and move to Edmonton. Shortly after this, in 1961, they were able to fly to Ukraine and visit Kateryna's son, Elias.¹

Kateryna died on 11 April 1965 at Edmonton at age 83.¹