Roman J. Fedyk Sr.

Obituary Roman J. Fedyk

Roman John Fedyk passed away on October 11th, 2020 after a long illness, at the age of 84.

Roman was born in the village of Deryzhychi near Drohobych in western Ukraine. He was the youngest child of †Yuriy and †Josephine (nee Nehrebetska) Fedyk, siblings †Olha and Stefan.

In 1944 his family fled his native Ukraine and ended up in the displaced persons camp in Berchtesgaden, Germany. In 1949 they were sponsored by Catholic Charities and came to live on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, working for a farmer. As a child, these idyllic times fishing and crabbing in the Chesapeake Bay after the deprivations of World War II were a huge comfort during which Roman developed a passion for fishing and boating.

Soon after the family moved to Philadelphia for greater opportunities where Roman graduated from Dobbins Technical High School, and then went onto graduate from Drexel University with a degree in Electrical Engineering on a ROTC scholarship. He was commissioned as a first lieutenant and served in the Army Corp of Engineers in Fort Leonard Wood, MO.

Roman married Iwanna Hajdukewycz and the young family settled in the Philadelphia area where they raised 3 children: Julia, Roman and Adrian.

Roman worked for Catalytic Inc. and Raytheon. He was involved in building pharmaceutical, chemical and power plants throughout the US.

Roman was one of the founding members of St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church in Jenkintown PA. He was one of the initiators and founding purchasers of the Ukrainian Education and Cultural Center in Jenkintown and the Horsham property for the Tryzub Sports Club.

Roman was a gregarious, kind and welcoming man who will be greatly missed by his friends and family.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Iwanna Fedyk (nee Hajdukewycz), and children Julia Fedyk Szyszka (Stephen), Roman (Lori), and Adrian (Alex). Grandchildren Larissa and Stephen Szyszka, Lucas and Mathew Fedyk, Nina, Deanna and Max Fedyk. He was predeceased by his sister Olha Zulak and is survived by his brother Stefan Fedyk (Uliana) and family and friends in the US and Ukraine.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Roman’s memory to:

Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation,

2247 West Chicago Ave

Chicago, Il 60622

or on line at UCEF.org/donate/