Woven Branches

Helena Kostaszczuk, a.k.a. Helen Kostash, daughter of Fedor Kostaszczuk and Anna Zwarych, was born on 10 October 1896 at Tulova, Sniatyn, Ukraine.¹

When Helen was three years old she and her parents and her younger brother, Harry, left Ukraine to settle in Canada, sailing from Hamburg, Germany, on 4 April 1900 on the S. S. Arcadia arriving at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 18 April 1900. They headed west by train to Alberta and settled in the Vegreville area. For more details of the journey from Tulova to Alberta, see the Zwarycz and Kostaszczuk Emigration.^2,3

Life on the farm was not easy for Helen. While her parents worked in the fields she was often left to look after her younger brothers.

When the Kolomea School opened in 1907 Helen was able to attend classes during the summer. She was also very fortunate that a local teacher named Zigmund Bychynsky lived with her parents during the winter and gave private lessons to Helen and a few other girls who lived nearby.

In about 1911 Helen met Dmytro Fodchuk. Dmytro was the eldest son of Paul and Maria Fodchuk. Paul and Maria were also from Tulova. They left for Canada in 1908, but Dmytro had to remain behind in Ukraine to serve in the Austrian army.¹

Helen married Dmytro Fodchuk on 12 July 1913 at St. Peter's and St. Paul's Greek Catholic Church, Vegreville, Alberta.¹

It was difficult for Dmytro to find work in the Edmonton, so in 1914 they moved to a homestead in the Athabaska area. In 1916 they moved back to Vegreville and took over a farm beside the Kostash homestead.¹

Helen and Dmytro were very spiritual and were quite involved in the Kolomea-Sich Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Helen was also an active member of the Ukrainian Women's Association of Canada.

The Fodchuks lived on the farm for many years and raised a family of four children there. In 1960 they retired and passed the farm to their son, Orest.¹

Helen died in 1980 at Vegreville, Alberta.