Educator, writer.
Born at Ghermakivka, Halychyna, Western Ukraine on 15 April 1895, son of Nykola Humeniuk (1867-1953) and Anastasia “Nastia” Chubey (1871-1955), he came to Canada in 1897 via steamship from Hamburg, Germany to Liverpool, England, and then across the Altantic Ocean. The family arrived at Halifax and took the train to Winnipeg, soon after which they took out a homestead at on NE8-2-6E, one mile south of Stuartburn. He attended local grade school, as well as the Ruthenian Training School, and Central Normal School, graduating as one of the first Ukraininan provincially-certified teachers in Manitoba. His career included teaching near Sarto, Rosa, Caliento, Crooks Creek, Gimli, as well as at River Ranch School (1915-1916), Willow Plain School (1920), and was Principal of Tolstoi School (1925-1927). During this time, he married Mary Rowes (c1899-1979) at St. Malo on 18 August 1920 and they had two daughters, Zonia and Iris.
In 1929, they moved to Jedburgh, Saskatchewan and operated a general store there until 1941, when they returned to Manitoba and took up residence in Winnipeg. He worked for the Empire Sash & Door Company until retirement in 1960 and was active in the Ukrainian Professional and Businessmen’s Club (1950s-1960s). He began writing in the 1970s, authoring Memoirs of Stuartburn Colony in the Ukrainian publication of the Weekly Canadian Farmer (1972-1974). He also joined the Senior Citizens’s Writing Workshop (1973), published a booklet entitled My Quotations and Comments (1975), and the English-version release of Hardships and Progress of Ukrainian Pioneers: Memoirs from Stuartburn Colony and Other Points (1977, Derksen Printers). He continued writing and was working on a Ukrainian history project at the time of his death.
He died at Bethania Personal Care Home in Winnipeg on 20 August 1985 and was buried in the All Saints Cemetery.
1901 & 1911 Canada Census, Automated Genealogy.
Marriage registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Ukrainian pioneer couples,” Steinbach Carillon News, 29 April 1955, page 15.
Obituary [Mary Humeniuk], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 September 1979, page 74.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 3 September 1985, page 22.
“Tribute to Ukrainian author and teacher,” Steinbach Carillon, 9 October 1985, page 10C.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 29 November 2022
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