Archpriest Alexander and Dobrodika Mary Hupka

Archpriest Alexander Hupka (1920-2017)

and

Dobrodika Mary (born Tkachyk) Hupka (1928-2015)

Early life of Alexander Hupka and of Mary Gawrylitza

On 23 September, 1920, Alexander Hupka was born to George and Mary (born Gawrylitza) Hupka. He had one brother, Nicholas.

Mary Tkachyk was born to Michael and Parascheva (born Kotyk) Tkachyk in 1928. She had a sister Lessia and a brother George. Her father married a second time, and her new mother was Tena Tkaczyk.

Both Alex and Mary studied at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in the late 1940s.

Alex and Mary received from the Lord one son, George.

Higher education

In due course, Alex studied at Saint Andrew’s College in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 1978, he received the L.Th. Degree from the college. Then, after more study, in 1985, he received the B.Th. Degree from Saint Andrew’s College.

Ordinations

Alexander Hupka was ordained to the Holy Diaconate and then to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service

During the course of his pastoral service in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, Father Alexander established 2 parishes, and he served as the priest in :

 the Holy Spirit parish in Ituna, Saskatchewan ; 
 All Saints parish in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (1 August, 1976–31 July, 1983) ;
 Saint Anne’s parish in Scarborough, Ontario ; 
 the Descent of the Holy Spirit Sobor parish in Regina, Saskatchewan ; 
 Saint Anthony’s parish in Edmonton, Alberta ; 
 Holy Trinity parish in Calmar, Alberta ;  
 Saints Peter and Paul’s parish in Thorsby, Alberta.

Retirement, 2006

After this, Father Alex and Dobrodika Mary retired from active service in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2006. There, Father Alex was assigned in retirement to All Saints’ Church as pastor emeritus.

Bereavement, 2015

On 15 October, 2015, Dobrodika Mary Hupka fell asleep in the Lord, at the age of 87 years.

A Prayer Service was offered at All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Parish in Saskatoon (2616, Louise Street) on Tuesday, 20 October, 2015, at 7:00 p.m. The Archpriest Peter Wasylenko led the service.

The Funeral Services were offered at Saint John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta (10611-110 Avenue) on Thursday, 22 October, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. The Mitred Archpriest Stephan Semotiuk led the services.

After the service, Dobrodika Mary’s body was interred in Saint Michael’s Cemetery in Edmonton.

After this, Father Alexander continued to live in Saskatoon as before.

Repose, 2017

Then, on 1 February, 2017, the Archpriest Alexander Hupka fell asleep in the Lord, at the age of 96 years.

On Monday, 6 February, at 7:00 p.m., there was a Prayer Service offered at All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church (2616, Louise Street), Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Archpriest Taras Udod led the service.

The Funeral Divine Liturgy was served at Saint John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral (10611-110 Avenue) in Edmonton, Alberta, on Wednesday, 8 February, at 9:30 a.m. Bishop Ilarion (Rudnyk), Bishop of Edmonton and of the Western Eparchy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, led the services.

Afterwards, the body of Father Alex was interred in Saint Michael’s Cemetery in Edmonton.

Father Alex was survived by his son George Hupka, sister-in-law Lessia Slipchuk, and brother-in-law George Tkachyk (Vera), and nieces and nephews Dorianne Martyniuk (Peter), Michael Slipchuk, Laurie Landro (Jeff), Dan Tkachyk (Ann) and Robbie Tkachyk, and grandnieces Melia Martyniuk and Tiana Martyniuk.

Both Father Alex and Dobrodika Mary were well-respected and well-loved in the parishes they served and in the communities in which they lived.