Priest Michael and Dobrodijka Orysia Kopchuk

Priest Michael Kopchuk (1933-2025)

and

Dobrodijka Orysia (born Maruschak ) Kopchuk) (1941-2025)

Early life of Michael Kopchuk

On 7 November, 1933, Michael John Kopchuk was born in Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada. He was born to John (†1963) and Julia (†1969) Kopchuk. Michael was the second-youngest of the children.

He and his siblings (Peter (†1931), John (†1943), George (†1986), Philip (†1988), Katerena (†1973), Mary (†1994), Paraska (†2003), Stefanya) were baptised as Orthodox Christians in the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, and they were raised in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Saint Mary Protectress parish, and in Ukrainian culture.

Saint Mary the Protectress Church, Melville

In 1939, at the age of 6, Michael fell asleep in a field during the summer, and he suffered such a severe sunstroke that he was hospitalised for a time. He had a very high fever. Thus, he missed the day when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stopped in Melville on their trans-Canada royal tour.

After he graduated from high school, Michael moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba. There, he found employment with the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) so that he could save money towards his further education.

It was during this time that Michael met his future wife.

Early life of Orysia (Iris) Maruschak

On 18 October, 1941, Orysia Maruschak was born in Franklin Municipality, Senkiw, Manitoba, Canada. She was born to Michael (†1955) and Anna Marushchak (†1992).

She and her siblings, John (†2008), Marie (†2015), Peter (†2019), Wasyl (Bill) (†2022) were baptised as Orthodox Christians in the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada, and they were raised in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and in Ukrainian culture.

Orysia received the nickname Iris by the time she began her schooling.

Iris went to school for a time in Senkiw (a 1-room school, as did her siblings) (about 18 km distant from Gardenton). Then the family moved to Gardenton, Manitoba.

Saint Michael Orthodox Church, Gardenton

Bereavement

In 1955, Iris's father, Michael Maruschak, reposed in Christ.

Move to Winnipeg

Following the repose of her father, Iris and her mother moved to Winnipeg.

It was only a few years later that Iris met her future husband.

Marriage

In 1958, Michael Kopchuk and Orysia (Iris) Maruschak met each other on a blind date.

They became friends, and after a year, they were crowned in marriage on 24 October, 1959.

Soon, they received from the Lord 2 children, Valentina (1960), and Gregory (1961).

Higher education

In 1963, Michael enrolled in Red River College in Winnipeg, from which he received a Teacher’s Diploma in 1964.

Iris had part time jobs, and she kept busy with the Orthodox Church wherever they lived. Amongst her skills, she would teach classes on making Ukrainian Easter Eggs (Pasenka, Pysanki).

Michael played the mandolin, and the violin, and his musical gift was not a small part of his life.

In 1970, after having taught for some time, Michael Kopchuk entered the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Education. From there, he received a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree in 1974.

Immediately afterwards, he enrolled again in the Faculty of Education, in Graduate Studies.

In 1975, Michael received a Master of Education (MEd) degree.

As a teacher, he taught Industrial Arts primarily, and his specialty was woodworking. In addition, he taught driver education for at least 2 decades.

Already in 1973, the family had begun moving frequently. Michael taught in Cranberry Portage (in Northwest Manitoba), and Virden (in Southwest Manitoba) ; in Quesnel (in north-central British Columbia), and in Surrey (Lower Mainland of British Columbia). Iris worked for many years in order to supplement the family income.

Further education

By the time the family had moved to Surrey, Michael had understood that he had a call to serve as a priest, and he began to prepare to study at Saint Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He took summer courses at Saint Andrew’s College as part of his preparation.

Saint Andrew's College

For a time, Iris remained in Surrey, and she continued working while the family moved to Carberry, Manitoba, where they lived during part of this time.

As things developed, the many experiences that Michael had had with people in a wide variety of circumstances prepared him for future pastoral service.

Ordinations

On 2 June, 1991, Michael Kopchuk was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba by Bishop Yurij (Kalistchuk).

On 6 October, 1991, Deacon Michael Kopchuk was ordained to the Holy Priesthood at Saint Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Surrey, British Columbia, by Archbishop John (Stinka).

Pastoral service

Priest Michael Kopchuk began a pattern of service which was typical of pastoral service for clergy in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada at the time.

Father Michael was assigned to serve first in Kamsack, Saskatchewan and District (August, 1992 - July, 1994). As was the case most of the time, his assignments included several temples in various settlements.

During this time, in 1993, Father Michael Kopchuk graduated from Saint Andrew’s College with a Diploma in Theology.

Then he was transferred to serve at All Saints Church in Hyas, Saskatchewan, and in the District (August, 1994 - August, 1996).

Next, he was transferred to serve at Saint Volodymyr's Church in Sudbury, Ontario (August, 1996 - July, 1999). He also cared for Sault Sainte-Marie.

Then he was transferred to serve in Regina, Saskatchewan, as Priest-in-Charge of Saint Michael's Church, and of Saint Volodymyr's in Moose Jaw, and of Saint Michael's in Candiac (August, 1999).

Following this, he was assigned to serve in the Ituna-Wadena Parish District, Saskatchewan (August, 2000 - July, 2004).

Then he was transferred to serve in Fort Frances, Ontario (August, 2004 - June, 2006).

After this, he was transferred again to serve as a supply priest for the Western Diocese with responsibility for Saint Michael’s Nursing Home in Edmonton, Alberta, and congregations of Saints Peter and Paul in Onoway, Saints Peter and Paul at Seba Beach, and Saint Elias at Spirit River (17 June, 2006 - 15 June, 2007).

This was adjusted so that he would serve as supply priest for the Edmonton Deanery and attached to Saint Andrew’s Sobor in Edmonton (15 June, 2007).

In Edmonton, he served for a time with his son Deacon Gregory Kopchuk at the Kensington Shepherds Care Mission.

Father Michael

Retirement

Then, Father Michael Kopchuk retired. For many years thereafter, he and Dobrodijka Orysia often attended Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Edmonton, Alberta, unless he had another assignment.

Father Michael at Holy Trinity Church

Meanwhile, they had continued to live in their own residence until the health of Dobrodijka Orysia began to weaken significantly. Then, she went into long-term care. Later, she entered Saint Michael’s Long Term Care Centre.

By this time, Father Michael, who had endured an increasing amount of pain for many years, was ready to join her in this facility. Indeed, they were grateful to be able to be together again.

During all these years, Father Michael received the following awards from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada :

 •	Nabedrenik, in 1998, by Metropolitan Wasyly (Fedak) ;
 •	Scufia, in  1998, by Metropolitan Wasyly (Fedak) ;
 •	Kamilavka, in  2001, by the Council of Bishops of the UOCC.  

In 2025, the health of both Father Michael and Dobrodijka deteriorated noticeably.

Repose

On Thursday, 31 July, 2025, Dobrodijka Orysia Kopchuk fell asleep in the Lord at the Saint Michael Long Term Care Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.

On Wednesday, 6 August, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., in the North Central Chapel of the Serenety Funeral Services, the Pankhida for a Lay-person was served by the Protopresbyter Victor Lakusta. The family gave the eulogies.

On Thursday, 7 August, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., in the North Central Chapel of the Serenety Funeral Services, the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was served by the Protopresbyter Victor Lakusta. The family (Valentina Anderson, Gregory Kopchuk, and Murphy Kopchuk) gave the eulogies.

Refreshments were served afterwards on the premises.

Following the completion of the funeral obsequies, the body of Dobrodijka Orysia Kopchuk was interred at Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Edmonton.

Repose

On Thursday, 23 October, 2025, Priest Michael Kopchuk fell asleep in the Lord at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta.

On Tuesday, 28 October, 2025, at 7:00 p.m., in the North Central Chapel of the Serenity Funeral Services, the Pankhida was served by the Protopresbyter Victor Lakusta. The family gave the eulogies.

On Wednesday, 29 October, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., in the North Central Chapel of the Serenity Funeral Services, the Funeral Service was served by the Protopresbyter Victor Lakusta. The family (Valentina Anderson, Gregory Kopchuk, and Murphy Kopchuk) gave the eulogies.

Refreshments were served afterwards on the premises.

Following the completion of the funeral obsequies, the body of Priest Michael Kopchuk was interred next to his wife at Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Edmonton.

Father Michael and Dobrodijka Kopchuk were survived by Father Michael’s sister Stefanya (born Kopchuk) Staffa ; their children, Valentina (her husband, Neil, their children Nicholas, Terry, and Kyle Andreson, grandchildren Hunter Anderson Andronick, Carson Anderson, and great-grandchild Eden Andronick ; Gregory, and his children Tatiana Mijajkovic, Yuliana Kopchuk, Liliana (Murphy) Kopchuk, and granddaughter Avalana Shepherd ; sister-in-law Anne Griffiths ; and other nieces and nephews.

References

Serenity obituary for Dobrodijka Orysia Kopchuk

Serenity obituary for Priest Michael Kopchuk

UOCC listing

Additional information :

Yereniuk, Prof. Roman, “A Short Historical Outline of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC)” A Brief History of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada website

Orthodoxwiki article about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople web-site

Wikipedia article about the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople

Orthodoxwiki article about the Patriarchate of Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis)

Metropolitan John (Theodorovych)

Metropolitan Ilarion (Ohienko)

Metropolitan Andrew (Metiuk)

Archbishop Boris (Yakovkevych)

Bishop Mstyslav (Skrypnyk)

Metropolitan John (Stinka)

Metropolitan Yurij (Kalistchuk)

Metropolitan Ilarion (Rudnyk)

Archbishop Job (Getcha)

Bishop Andriy (Peshko)

Canadian Enyclopaedia article about Ukrainian Canadians

Wikipedia article about Ukrainian Canadians

Orthodoxwiki list of parishes in Alberta

Orthodoxwiki list of parishes in British Columbia

Orthodoxwiki list of parishes in Manitoba

Orthodoxwiki list of parishes in Ontario

Orthodoxwiki list of parishes in Saskatchewan