Alexandra Tkacz

It is with a heavy heart that we share with family, friends and students the news that on April2, 2020 our loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and teacher, Alexandra (Lesia) Maria Kysilweska Tkacz passed away at the age of 91. A graveside service at St. Andrew's Cemetery in South Bound Brook, NJ, was conducted on April 6 by Father Taras Svirchuk, pastor of St John the Baptist Church, Newark, NJ, where she was a long-time parishioner. Alexandra Kysilewska, daughter of Kost Kysilewskyj and Anastasia Holinata Kysilewska, was born on September 9, 1928 in Stainslaviv (now Ivano-Frankivsk), Ukraine. The family moved to Lviv, and after the war were refugees in the Bayreuth camp in Germany. They emigrated to New York in 1949, eventually settling in Newark, New Jersey. Lesia married Jaroslaw Tkacz in 1951 and had four children: Virlana, Borys, Andrew and Zoriana. She was a devoted teacher of Ukrainian literature and taught both at the School of Ukrainian Studies in Newark and St George Academy in New York. She received a MA & PhD at the Ukrainian Free University in Munich in the 1970s where she directed the Educational Institute from 1988-2006. After the death of Jaroslaw Tkacz, she married Volodymyr Kosyk and lived in Paris from 2001-2015. She is the author of several books and numerous articles on the history of Ukrainian Schools and guides for teaching Ukrainian Literature. She is survived by her: Daughters: Virlana Tkacz Zoriana Siokalo with her husband Peter Sons: Borys Tkacz with his wife Zenia Andrew Tkach with his wife Olena Grandchildren: Alexander Tkacz with his wife Madeline Melanie Siokalo Hagey with her husband Dan Nicholas Siokalo Sebastian Tkach Great-grandson: Hayden Tkacz As well as her greater family in America, Canada, Europe, Australia, Russia, and Ukraine. May she rest in peace and in live long in our memories. Donations may be made in her name to the Ukrainian Museum, 222 E 6th St. New York, NY 10003, or the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine.