Boshena Olshaniwsky

Boshena Olshaniwsky, wife to the late Ihor Olshaniwsky, died peacefully in Dover, NJ at age 81 on October 1, 2017 where she was surrounded by her loved ones. As a post-war immigrant displaced from Ukraine she resided in Germany as a refugee and then emigrating to the United States. She settled in Newark, NJ where she completed high school and received a full scholarship from Newark School of Nursing. After being chosen valedictorian of her graduating class she continued her education at Seton Hall University. Boshena retired from AT&T as a registered nurse in Basking Ridge after a 30 year career with Western Electric, AT&T, and Bell Labs where she operated a medical clinic. She was also a devoted mother, grandmother, sister and a great humanitarian. Since the 1970's her political accomplishments included letter writing campaigns, lobbying efforts and petition drives in defense of Valentyn Moroz and other political prisoners in Ukraine. Together with her late husband she was one of the driving forces behind the lobbying efforts of Senator Bill Bradley of NJ, who sponsored the Ukraine Famine Commission Bill in the Senate. This legislative miracle was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Reagan on October 1984. In 1986 she took over the reigns as President of AHRU (Americans for Human Rights in Ukraine) and UNCHAIN (Ukrainian National Center History and Information Network). Other projects involved fighting international human trafficking, working with post Chernobyl Green World, plus fund raising for Children of Chernobyl and Lviv Clinic. She even took part in an American and Soviet sponsored peace walk in 1988 from Lviv, Ukraine to Moscow, Russia. The highlight of her political career occurred in 1996 when she was invited to the White House where she received an award for humanitarian work by President Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. Boshena was a member of UNWLA Branch 86, (Ukrainian National Women's League of America). Throughout her life, she was also a great supporter of fine arts including opera, classical music, art, ballet and loved to travel worldwide. She is survived by her daughter Dora Homann with husband Henry Homann, daughter Melissa Manning (aka Ulita Olshaniwsky) with husband Jose Avendano, grandchildren Markus and Kathryn Homann, sister Roksolana Gilicinski and family, long- time companion Walter Bodnar, and extended family in the United State and Ukraine. Visitation will be from 2:00 - 4:00 pm and 7:00 - 9:00 pm on Monday October 9th with a prayer service starting at 7:30 pm at Lytwyn & Lytwyn Funeral Home in Union, NJ. The funeral service will take place at St. John's Ukrainian Catholic Church, 719 Sandford Avenue, Newark, NJ on Tuesday, October 10th at 10:30am. She will be buried in Bound Brook, NJ, date to be determined. In lieu of flowers please make donations to UUARC (In memory of Boshena for Lviv 5th Poliklinik for Children) or UNWLA, Inc. War Victims Fund c/o Dora Homann, PO Box 503, Sparta NJ 07871.