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32 WWW.UNWLA.ORG “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ГРУДЕНЬ 2016 REMEMBERING LESIA: A TRIBUTE TO ALEXANDRA PONIATYSZYN CADY by Luba Keske, UNWLA Branch 111 Los Angeles, California and Christine Boyko, UNWLA Branch 3 Phoenix, Arizona Lesia was born on November 22, 1939, in the village of Pidhora-Zelencze, Terebowlia region, Western Ukraine, to Anna (nee Kobylniak) and John Poniatyszyn. In 1944 the family, along with thousands of others impacted by WWII, was forced to flee Ukraine. When the war ended, they were assigned to the “Orlyk” DP Camp in Berchtesgaden, Germany. In 1949 Lesia, her par- ents, and her younger sister Lubomyra (Luba) sailed from Hamburg on the USS Ernie Pyle , arriv- ing in Boston on February 21, 1949. They settled in Ellicott City, Maryland, where the parents worked on their sponsor’s farm while Lesia and Luba at- tended the local public school. In August of 1949, the family moved again, resettling in Trenton, New Jersey. The small Ukrainian community of 17 or so newly arrived families joined Rev. Theodosij and Rev. Joseph At- amaniuk in founding St. Josaphat’s, the first Ukrainian Catholic Church in Trenton. Ukrainian organizations were established, and the church council located a proper building to house the new parish and its priests. Lesia’s parents soon found employment in local factories, and the family became active in the flourishing Ukrainian community. Lesia sang in the church choir and participated in youth organi- zations. As a teenager, she joined her mother as a member of UNWLA and their choir. She and her sister Luba often performed duets. In 1955, Lesia and Luba became members of Branch #245 of the UNA. After high school, Lesia continued her edu- cation at Rider College and also began taking voice lessons to perfect her already lovely soprano. After graduating, she worked at Princeton-based RCA’s legal department. It was in Princeton that Lesia met her future husband, Dr. Lee Cady, a heart spe- cialist who had a fellowship at the Electronic Asso- ciates Computer Center. The Poniatyszyns relocated to Los Angeles in the mid-1960s, becoming parishioners of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, and it was here that Lesia and Dr. Cady were married in October 1965. After tempo- rarily living in Houston, Texas, the couple returned to California in the late 1960s, eventually settling down in San Marino. They resumed their activities in the Ukrainian community while Dr. Cady con- tinued his medical practice in Los Angeles. The couple was blessed with two sons, John and Mark, who were baptized in the same church where their parents were married. In 1992 the Cadys moved to Phoenix, Ari- zona, where they joined The Dormition of The Mother of God UCC. Lesia also joined the local chapter of UCCA and UNWLA Branch 3. Instead of nestling into cozy retirement, she went straight to work. A force to be reckoned with, she mentored and guided us “younger ones” with spirit, joviality, and tenacity. She was funny. She was courageous. She had visionary ideas. She greeted you with out- stretched arms, a kiss, and a big hug. And she meant it. And she often ended conversations with “I love you”—How great is that? Lesia was an eloquent speaker and enjoyed being an MC, preparing programs, and ensuring that events were well organized. She was also a Ukrainian patriot and a generous philanthropist. We all remember her generous support of commu- nity functions: Out came the checkbook and a pen, and a check was quickly written to cover some cost or other to ensure our events were successful. She and Dr. Lee were generous sponsors of our UN- WLA “Wild West Ukie Fests.” And every year, at one of our events, Lesia would buy beautiful potted plants and give them out as a gesture of apprecia- tion for people committed to our little Ukrainian hromada here in Phoenix. After Lesia’s death (2015), Dr. Lee presented our Branch with some of her cherished pysanky. Our celebration of the 40 th anniversary of the Ukrainian Museum in NYC in- cluded a Silent Auction; the pysanky were sold to support the museum, going to deserving homes in her memory.
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