Mary Peleshenko

Age 95, of St. Peters, Missouri, formerly of Hammond and Munster, IN, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Monday February 11, 2019. Mary is survived by her loving children, Walter (Sharon) Peleshenko of St. Peters, MO and Anna (late Virgil) Wozniak of Portage, IN; grandchildren, Christopher (Sara) Peleshenko and Walter J. (Andrea) Peleshenko; great grandchildren, Nathan, Matthew, Alexander and Paxton. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Peleshenko.

Funeral Services will be held Directly at St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 7047 Columbia Ave., Hammond, IN on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 10 AM with the very Reverend Raymond Sundland officiating. Mary will lie in state at the church from 9:30 AM until the time of service. Burial at Elmwood Cemetery in Hammond, IN. Friends may visit with the family on Friday, February 15, 2019 from 3:00 to 8:00 PM at Solan Pruzin Funeral Home, 14 Kennedy Ave. (corner of Kennedy and Main), Schererville, IN 46375.  Parastas at 6:00 PM.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the orphans in Ukraine, St. Michaels Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Hammond, IN or Saints Cyril & Methody Orthodox Church, 4770 Maryville Rd., Granite City, IL 62040 would be appreciated.

For the orphans
Please make check payable to: UOC of the USA
(on the memo line, put orphanages, in memory)
Send to UOC of the USA
PO Box 495
South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

solanpruzinfuneralhome.com

I'm going to tell you another story.....About a young girl taken from her Ukrainian home as a teen during the German retreat from Russia in WWII. Sacrificed by her mother and father because of their 5 children she was the sickest, allergic to the local climate, and they didn't think she would survive. She was sent to work on a farm in Austria, where she was treated like a daughter, by the farmer and his family. While in Austria she met my grandfather and 5 months later was ma rried, then gave birth to my father. When the war was over she couldn't return to Ukraine. Thanks to the efforts of Elenor Roosevelt her new family, came to America with little to nothing in their pockets and started their "American Dream." My grandfather held a few jobs before landing secure employment with US Steel in Gary, IN. They had a second child. Were apart of a strong Ukrainian Orthodox Community and worked hard to eventually build their own home in Munster, IN where she stayed baking bread, pierogies. Doing laundry and house cleaning for income, supporting orphanages in Ukraine, sending $ back to her family, working hard to make the world a better place while she was here. At 90 she was still mowing her own lawn, at 93 she was standing through entire Orthodox services (if you know, you know), at 94 picking weeds and folding laundry at her care facility. She never said "no" she always said "what more can I do." If you ever tasted her borscht, pierogies, or breads you got a special taste of the love she gave to this world. Her life wasn't always easy, she saw and dealt with many conflicts, but her love for God shone through her and was an inspiration to those who knew her. Today I'm happy she is at peace and the dementia is over. Today I rejoice in the 40 years I got to spend with my Baba. Today I'm thankful for all the things Baba's teach you in word and deed. I'm thankful for a Orthodox faith she shared and set an example living. Today I celebrate her life, by trying to live in her footsteps. I love you Baba.

Chris Peleshenko

-And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.