Rev. Father Gregory Andrusyshyn
Born: April 4th, 1945
Passed on: July 30th, 2017
It is with great sadness that we, the family of Rev. Father Gregory Alexander Andrusyshyn, of Whitney Pier, announce his passing on Sunday, July 30, 2017, in the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.
Born April 4, 1945 in Reserve, he was the son of the late Harry and Helen (Shkira) Andrusyshyn.
Father Greg studied for the priesthood in Rome and Ottawa, and was ordained in the Ukrainian Catholic Rite on November 21, 1980, by the late Patriarch Josyf Slipyj in Rome, and celebrated his first Divine Liturgy at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church November, 30, that same year. He has served in parishes in Thunder Bay, Ont., and Sydney.
He also worked as a social worker for Family Services in Inverness and Sydney, and later as a mental health social worker at the Cape Breton Hospital in Sydney River, New Waterford Hospital, and ending his long Career at the Northside General in 2007.
He is survived by his wife, Odarka Olga (Pronko), and sister, Mary Black; special godchild, Christina Tharpe, Miami, FL, and godchild, Melanie Pronko, Dartmouth. Also left to mourn, their uncle, Natalie, Samantha, Greg, Amanda, Peter, Adam, Christene, Jeffrey, Stephanie, and several grand nieces and nephews, as well as cousins in Ontario and the Ukraine.
Besides his parents, Fr. Greg is predeceased by his aunt and uncle, John and Tekla Sawchuk, who were his foster parents and owners of Peter’s Bookstore in Whitney Pier; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Peter and Mary Pronko, and brother-in-law, Roddie Black.
Visitation will be held Wednesday August 2, 2017 in Sydney Memorial Chapel from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., with Panachyda service at 7 p.m. Visitation on Thursday in the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Church from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m., with Parastas service at 7 p.m. Funeral service will take place Friday in the Holy Ghost Church at 10 a.m. with Rev. Roman Dusanowskyj officiating . Interment in Forest Haven Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to charity of one’s choice.
Words of comfort can be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or e-mail sydneymemorialchapel@ns.sympatico.ca.
