Dumi Moyi

by Oleh Kubik

October 20, 2014

Sunday eve I received a phone call. Immediately, I felt it was not going to be good news. It was Irka telling me her father, Walter Marych had passed away. It was more than sad news of a close family friend. It was the closing of an entire chapter of our lives. It part of a closing of a part of Ukrainian history. When Hitler invaded Ukraine in 1941, each household had to “volunteer” one youth or young adult to go to Germany to go to work in labor camps for supposedly a few short months. Walter was one of those teens that eagerly left to earn some money. So did his future wife ( Dusia) whom he had not met yet left for Germany. It was in Germany they met. They both suffered the deprivations of war, hunger and being treated as captives and second rate citizens.

When we were kids, we used to say to our parents, “Tell us about the war”. Our parents also were part of that huge migration of 100’s of thousands of teens that departed Ukraine in train cars to work in Nazi Germany. We used to hear stories about air raids, bombings, movement of troops, monotonous factory work, starvation. In all these episodes, the names of “Valtar and Dusia” would come up. My parents, Igor and Nina would always speak so kindly of their two friends. My father spokehow Valtar had saved his life after my father was beaten for stealing food.

After the war, each family tried desperately to emigrate to some part of the world. Stalin never forgave those that he considered to be collaborators with the enemy. Those that returned were punished by being sent to Siberia or by detonating ordnance. Few if any survived. Walter and Dusia were able to go to Canada and my parents found sponsors in America.

Whenever I travel through Bound Brook, New Jersey, I like to pull of the freeway and drive through Ukrainian cemetaries just to read Ukrainian names on the tombstones. In 2010 after a long absence I drove through one the “tsvintars” (flowered cemetaries). I was stunned. What was once a quaint, small cemetery had exploded in size. It had become vast with long rows of stones and flowers. It occurred to me that was because that entire generation of Ukrainians that was forcibly separated from their families was now in America and Canada was sadly succumbing to old age. I used to just sit in those tvintars and think about he many stories of of World War II.

My thoughts go to Dusia, Walter’s wife who learned to love her husband in time of adversity. My thoughts go to Julie, Irina and even Ronnie. My thoughts go to the grandchildren who have lost their Grandfather.

The Church that Walter was a part of speaks a great truth. “Jesus is the Resurection”. Just as we celebrate His resurrection every year. Jesus entered into his creation became flesh, died and was resurrected in order to save his entire creation. . All graves will be opened and we will all see Jesus. We will worship, honor and praise Him. We will take the Communion Cup at the Great Wedding Feast and we will celebrate. We will look around and find friends and relatives that we have missed for years and relatives and Feast together. It will be a great family reunion. There will be no more tears or sorrow or suffering.

With death there is a sting and a sadness that we never get over. We don’t want to totally lose that longing. There is also a beauty and hope in the Resurrection. We will see Walter again and he will see us. We will see Ronnie. May God speed that day!!

Blessings of Peace on all of the Marych Family.

Condolences, High Regards and Warm Memories