Obituary of Matushka Elizabeth Kachur
Elizabeth Dolores Kachur was born on April 27, 1932 to Stephen and Elizabeth
Deak in Ashtabula, Ohio.
"Doly" grew up in nearby Painesville, Ohio, where she met her future
husband, Fr Stephen Kachur. The two were married at St Nicholas Orthodox
Church in Warren, Ohio, on June 14, 1951, and took up residence in
Edinboro
(Crossingville), PA, where Fr Stephen was pastor of SS Peter and Paul
Church. In November of 1951 Fr Stephen was transfered to St Michael
the
Archangel Church in Chicago. There Elizabeth gave birth to three sons:
Stephen (1953), Paul (1954), and Mark (1955).
In 1957 the couple moved to Rankin, PA, where Elizabeth saw the birth
of
another son, Timothy (1958), and in 1959 they moved to Edwardsville,
PA,
where son Matthew (1960) was born.
In 1962 Fr Stephen became the rector of the Church of the Assumption
in
Clifton, NJ, where the Kachurs saw the birth of son John (1964), the
tragic
sudden death of son Mark (1964), and finally the birth of a baby girl,
Daria
(1966). For over sixteen years in Clifton, Elizabeth earned a reputation
not
only as a devoted mother to her children but also as a mother (Matushka)
to
the parish, an untiring helper in the ministry, an outstanding cook
and
gracious hostess to a multitude of visitors, and, upon reentering
the
workforce, a competent secretary.
Upon Fr Stephen's retirement in August 1978 the couple and their two
youngest children settled in Tucson, AZ. Although officially retired,
Fr
Stephen continued to serve in numerous parishes throughout the southwest,
always accompanied and
ably assisted by Matushka Elizabeth. In addition, the
couple greatly enjoyed traveling all over America, visiting their
children
on both coasts and even making it north of the Arctic Circle, with
Matushka
Elizabeth earning another reputation as an expert driver of their
motor
home.
Along with being known as Matushka, Elizabeth was blessed to be a Mother-In-Law, Grandma & Great Grandma.
Stephen (MaryAnn) (Sam, Guy & Natalie)
Timothy (Pamela) (Kim, Kristen (Lily) & Stephen)
Matthew (Jonah, Elias)
John (Valerie) (Nicholas, Kevin, Sophie)
Daria (Harold/Howie)
She was also blessed to be a sister (Stephanie Anziano) and Aunt.
After the passing of Fr Stephen in July of 2000, Elizabeth continued
to be a
warm friend and provider of hospitality to numerous Orthodox clergy
and
parishioners as well as her coworkers from Burr-Brown and TI in Tucson
and
fellow volunteers of Friends of the Library.
Elizabeth Dolores Kachur fell asleep in the Lord on October 28, 2000.
Memory
eternal!