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February 21, 2013
Services
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, April 13 at 2 pm at the Pequannock Reformed Church in Wayne.
Helen Kuzow Shumeyko, age 89 and a long time resident of Wayne, died peacefully on Thursday, February 21, 2013.
She is survived by her sons Daniel of Pompton Plains, Gregory of Suwanee, GA and her daughter Joanne Johnson of Detroit, Michigan as well as six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Daniel in 1980 and her son Matthew in 2006.
Helen was born in Manhattan on January 4, 1924. Her parents, Olga Schneider and Michael Kuzow had immigrated to New York from the Ukraine to seek opportunities in the United States. Helen joined a family of two older sisters, Mary and Anne, and later welcomed a younger brother, John. She graduated from high school and pursued a brief career in modeling for Jenkins Fifth Avenue in New York City.
She met Daniel Shumeyko when they both sang in the Ukrainian Youth Choir in New York. They were married in St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church on February 7, 1942. A beautiful photo of Helen in her wedding gown was featured in the storefront window of the Jenkins Fifth Avenue Company.
Married during World War II, the newlyweds travelled to wherever Daniel was stationed while enlisted in the Army Air Force. They resided in Madison, Wisconsin and later in Sioux Falls, South Dakota before returning to New Jersey to be near family there. Soon after their return, their oldest son Daniel was born. They lived again in New York City before moving to Union, NJ where Joanne and Matthew joined the family. Later they moved to Wayne, NJ where Gregory was born.
Helen worked in several jobs besides modeling; she was a secretary for the Wayne Township schools, then an office manager and executive assistant for several companies before retiring in 2000 from Liaizon Technology in Pompton Lakes. Her energetic style and quick wit brought personality to every task.
Helen was a parishioner at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Manhattan, then St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark, and finally at Our Lady of the Valley in Wayne.
Helen was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a doting grandmother and a proud great-grandmother. She welcomed each newcomer to her growing family, entertaining daughters-in-law Mary and Sue, son-in-law Kevin, grandchildren Kate, Jonathan, Amelia, Kyle, Ryann, and Caroline, and great-grandchildren Julian and Sylvie. Nicknamed “GiGi” during her modeling years, the name was recently and appropriately revived by her great-grandchildren. She loved music; she played her piano until the last few years, sang in English and Ukrainian, and welcomed any reason to gather with family and friends. She enjoyed cooking and baking, teaching her granddaughters how to make pierogies from scratch. On Christmas Eve every year, with a family member playing Santa, Helen would sit on his lap and remind him to bring her Scotch!
Helen and her sense of humor will be missed by her many family members and friends. Everyone who knew her was graced by her vibrant presence; she was the life of any party and the soul of her family.
Donations in Helen’s memory can be made to Compassionate Care Hospice, 21-00 Route 208, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 or to the Pequannock Reformed Church, 530 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, April 13 at 2 pm at the Pequannock Reformed Church in Wayne.
February 21, 2013
Services
A memorial service is planned for Saturday, April 13 at 2 pm at the Pequannock Reformed Church in Wayne.
Helen Kuzow Shumeyko, age 89 and a long time resident of Wayne, died peacefully on Thursday, February 21, 2013.
She is survived by her sons Daniel of Pompton Plains, Gregory of Suwanee, GA and her daughter Joanne Johnson of Detroit, Michigan as well as six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Daniel in 1980 and her son Matthew in 2006.
Helen was born in Manhattan on January 4, 1924. Her parents, Olga Schneider and Michael Kuzow had immigrated to New York from the Ukraine to seek opportunities in the United States. Helen joined a family of two older sisters, Mary and Anne, and later welcomed a younger brother, John. She graduated from high school and pursued a brief career in modeling for Jenkins Fifth Avenue in New York City.
She met Daniel Shumeyko when they both sang in the Ukrainian Youth Choir in New York. They were married in St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church on February 7, 1942. A beautiful photo of Helen in her wedding gown was featured in the storefront window of the Jenkins Fifth Avenue Company.
Married during World War II, the newlyweds travelled to wherever Daniel was stationed while enlisted in the Army Air Force. They resided in Madison, Wisconsin and later in Sioux Falls, South Dakota before returning to New Jersey to be near family there. Soon after their return, their oldest son Daniel was born. They lived again in New York City before moving to Union, NJ where Joanne and Matthew joined the family. Later they moved to Wayne, NJ where Gregory was born.
Helen worked in several jobs besides modeling; she was a secretary for the Wayne Township schools, then an office manager and executive assistant for several companies before retiring in 2000 from Liaizon Technology in Pompton Lakes. Her energetic style and quick wit brought personality to every task.
Helen was a parishioner at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Manhattan, then St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Newark, and finally at Our Lady of the Valley in Wayne.
Helen was a devoted wife, a loving mother, a doting grandmother and a proud great-grandmother. She welcomed each newcomer to her growing family, entertaining daughters-in-law Mary and Sue, son-in-law Kevin, grandchildren Kate, Jonathan, Amelia, Kyle, Ryann, and Caroline, and great-grandchildren Julian and Sylvie. Nicknamed “GiGi” during her modeling years, the name was recently and appropriately revived by her great-grandchildren. She loved music; she played her piano until the last few years, sang in English and Ukrainian, and welcomed any reason to gather with family and friends. She enjoyed cooking and baking, teaching her granddaughters how to make pierogies from scratch. On Christmas Eve every year, with a family member playing Santa, Helen would sit on his lap and remind him to bring her Scotch!
Helen and her sense of humor will be missed by her many family members and friends. Everyone who knew her was graced by her vibrant presence; she was the life of any party and the soul of her family.
Donations in Helen’s memory can be made to Compassionate Care Hospice, 21-00 Route 208, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 or to the Pequannock Reformed Church, 530 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Wayne, NJ 07470.
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