Obituary of Josephine Procyk (nee Siracky)

April 3, 1928 – Mundare, Alberta
November 9, 2021 - Calgary, Alberta

Josepha Procyk, of Calgary, AB, passed away on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at the age of 93 years.

Josephine was proud of both her Ukrainian heritage and of being a second generation Canadian. Her Grandfather Peter came to Canada from the village of Bilawsti in the northeast part of Halychyna (modern-day Western Ukraine) in 1900. As the Government of the day encouraged people to go west, so began the Siracky family’s generational homestead in Mundare, Alberta. If you visit the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village you will see Peter and Eva (Steblyk) Siracky recognized for their dedication, spirit and courage in settling East Central Alberta. 

Josepha Francis was born to Mike and Annie (Ruzycki) Siracky on April 3, 1928 on their family homestead 2 miles east of Mundare. Her father registered her middle name as “Francis”, and right up to the month she passed, she was still trying to have an “e” replace the “i” whenever she needed to provide her full legal name. She was persistent!  She was the oldest sibling of six, Lorraine dying in infancy, Henry (deceased 2002), Leonard (deceased 2013), Phyllis (Gulevich) and Vladimir. Growing up on the farm and being the oldest daughter, she left school early after completing Grade 9 to help her parents in the home, on the farm, as well as care for her siblings. In addition to her family responsibilities, Josephine worked as a care volunteer in Mundare at the local Convent Hospital.

A devotion to the Catholic Church was nurtured throughout her life and if the history books are any indication, her ancestors took religion very seriously. Proud of the Siracky homestead and a roadside stone Chapel that her grandfather constructed, she would share her family history with many and even provide personal day trip tours from Calgary. A daily prayer list included those she dearly loved and appreciated, both past and present.

She met the love of her life, Michael Procyk, at school in Grade 3, setting in motion an over 60 year love story and life journey. Married on October 26, 1948 they stayed on the Procyk homestead in Mundare, where their eldest son Lorne was born in 1949 (deceased 2017). A move to the big city of Edmonton followed shortly thereafter with the addition of son Donald in 1952 and daughter Michelle in 1957. Caring for and providing for a family in that generation could be a struggle, and Josephine, while in Edmonton, helped support the family by working at Woolworths and a soda shop on 112 Ave. When a recruiting opportunity for the plastering trade presented itself in 1963, Michael jumped at the chance to go to New York City for 1 year, helping to plaster 7 apartment buildings for the new community of Trump Village West, for none other than Donald Trump’s father Fred. Owing to the booming construction industry at that time, jobs for plasterers were plentiful and his income was steady, so the family headed to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York and joined him in 1964. As fate would have it, the house number they left behind in Edmonton, 11235, now became their zip code in Brooklyn.

The move was exciting for the kids, with the abundance of things to see and do that most can't even imagine. Coney Island Amusement Park was a favorite as it was just a short walk from home in Brighton Beach. It wasn’t without a little fear as well; New York in the 1960s was not the quiet, reasonably safe environment of Edmonton and not long after arriving there, New York was the site of  a significant race riot, one of many on the eastern seaboard that year and something totally new to her, unheard of in Edmonton. Michael already had a year under his belt and had time to adjust to this new life, but Josephine now had to raise a family with the added worry of trying to keep them safe in an environment so different from the one she was used to. Over the ensuing 10 years she and the family had many experiences, adventures exploring and getting to know their new home, the Big Apple. 

She adjusted well to her new environment. Brighton Beach was a predominately Russian Jewish neighborhood, with all the traditions and wonderful delicacies that environment brought...bagels, bialys, potato knishes, cream cheese & lox, the Hebrew National Deli. She loved it all, but her favorite was Seagull Bakery and it's corn bread! Having singers Neil Sedaka and an up-and-coming new artist named Neil Diamond in the neighborhood was fun too.

Her adventures were plentiful, and could fill a book. Seeing the Lawrence Welk show live at Madison Square Gardens and then winding up at the same restaurant as the entire entourage after the show. Attending a live taping of the Jimmy Dean Show, almost running right into Muhammad Ali, the astonishment on her face made him smile and acknowledge her. Making eye contact with and getting a smile from Glen Campbell while shopping, taking the ferry at Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty and climbing to the top, peering out the windows in her crown to see such an unbelievable sight. Taking the super fast elevator to the top of the Empire State Building, while leaving your stomach on the ground floor, just to be able to look down and see people who looked like busy ants below. Attending the Christmas and Easter shows at Radio City Music Hall every year was a must for her...and Michelle. Getting dressed up to go to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for New Years Eve and attending the annual Plasterers Ball. Trips to the United Nations, the Museum of Natural History, Grand Central Station. Touring the White House in Washington D.C., visiting Arlington Cemetery to see President John F. Kennedy's grave, and so much more. What experiences, and she treasured them all! 

Anyone who came to New York to visit the family were given the same opportunities- she made sure of that! They were the ultimate host and hostess. Josephine even found time to satisfy her love of fashion when she began work at Martin's on Fulton Street in Brooklyn, a specialty apparel retail department store founded in 1904.

In 1972, a request from her father-in-law in Calgary, to return to Canada was considered and in July of 1973 they did just that. Josephine was hired by Eaton's downtown and Mike worked as a trainer at Canadian Linen until his retirement in 1992. They never stopped their adventures. Many Hawaiian vacations were their favorite, trips to Mexico, California, Arizona, Washington State, Oregon, across Canada from West to the East Coasts, and their memorable train trip to Vancouver on the Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tour. 

Closer to home it was a safe bet that you would find them travelling the annual Stampede breakfast circuit and were known on a first name basis by the morning shift employees at what seemed like half the McDonald’s in town. She enjoyed many road trips with her Angels throughout their childhood years. In addition to travel interests, gardening, hosting family feasts, crafts, and staying connected with those she cared about most kept her mind sharp for the rest of her life.

She adored her "Baba's Angels"...Christian (1979), Adam (1980), Christopher (1990) and Alex (1994). Mike passed away in 2008, but she was fortunate to meet, greet and enjoy her "Great Baba's Angels"...Alyssa (2011), Matteo (2019) and Sebastian (2021) and she so loved her granddaughter-in-law, Penny.

She was so lucky to live independently, almost to the age of 93 in her own home serving as the matriarch and focal point of our family gatherings, although you absolutely didn’t need to be a blood relative for her to consider you part of her family. All who loved, cared for and respected her (and it was a long list) were so lucky to have had her in their lives until almost the age of 94. 

Josephine leaves behind to mourn her son Don (Charlotte), daughter Michelle (Mike) Maucieri, “Baba’s Angels”, grandsons, Christian (Penny) and Adam Maucieri, Christopher and Alexander Procyk; and great-grandchildren, Alyssa, Matteo and Sebastian Maucieri; brother Vladimir (Sylvia), sister Phyllis Gulevich, sisters-in-law, Jean Wallace and Toni Siracky; and extended family and friends. She was predeceased by her husband Michael, eldest son Lorne, and daughter-in-law Gail, parents, Mike and Annie Siracky; sister Lorraine, and brothers, Henry and Leonard.

Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church (4903 – 45th Street S.W., Calgary, AB) on Friday, November 19, 2021 at 11:00 a.m., viewing prior to service will begin at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, memorial tributes in Josephine’s name may be made directly to St. Stephen Protomartyr Ukrainian Catholic Church, www.saintstephencalgary.ca/donate, or The Brenda Strafford Foundation, thebsf.ca/get-involved/donate. Condolences, memories and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Josephine Procyk, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 CENTRE STREET NORTH, CALGARY, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

Click here for Josephine's life story with photos