Irene K. Humanchuk's Obituary
Irene K. Humanchuk (nee Pasternak) age 95 passed away Wednesday February 4, 2026. Loving daughter of the late Dimiter/Tekla (nee Harasym) Pasternak. Beloved wife of the late Steve for 29 years. Cherished mother of Carol (Michael) Biernacki and the late Robert (Therese, surviving). Dearest sister of Eugene Pasternak (the late, Geraldine) and the late Alexander Pasternak (the late, Irene) and niece Lorie. Irene was the adoring and devoted grandmother of five grandchildren: Heather (husband, Dave), Bobby, Brent, Jennifer (s/o Collin) and Brian.
Irene lived her faith and raised her children/grandchildren with the values of “Your parents/grandparents, are always your best friend wanting the best for you”. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio 1930 to parents who immigrated from Ukraine and moved to Passaic, New Jersey as an infant so that her father could remain employed at the US Rubber Company. Growing up in an ethic neighborhood, she learned to speak the language of her parents and friends: Ukrainian, Polish and understood Slovenian and Hebrew and later English after entering school Irene was an avid learner/reader, mastering English and later to become her elementary school’s spelling bee champion. She embodied the Spirit of The Depression and WW II Eras of creativity, resilience, endurance and resourcefulness.
Childhood highlights: included receiving her first doll at age 5, playing with her childhood friends, going to the movies ,ice skating, Ukrainian Dancing, watching the Von Trapp family singers perform at her school, playing the Mandolin and having a record recorded at a radio station by her church’s children’s musical group lead by the parish priest, and her family affording their first television when she was in high school.
After a visit in New Jersey at age 14 from a young Army soldier named Steve who was her Godfather’s son from Cleveland, Ohio – a friendship unknowingly began out of duty to her country to correspond to and American Service man who asked her to write him. Ten years later, this same friendship blossomed into marriage at age 24 to Steve -and later motherhood of Irene’s two children, Bob and Carol.
After high school, Irene excelled at typing and shorthand working at the same company as her mother -Forstmann’s in the office and received discounts on bolts of textiles in which Irene became a highly skilled seamstress with being able to make her own suits, clothing and later upholstery as a hobby. Upon her marriage and return to Cleveland, Ohio she became a bookkeeper and then later a full-time mother/homemaker diligent in passing down religious Byzantine practices, Ukrainian ethnic food traditions (including the best Christmas Tree cookies, Paskas- learned from her mother- in- law Pauline and homemade apple, pear and plum pies home grown from her backyard). Upon the death of her husband, Irene diligently attained a degree at Sawyer Business College and worked until her retirement at the Cleveland Heights City Court as a Deputy Clerk of Courts which was a highlight of her employment years.
Irene enjoyed the sanctuary of her backyard feeding the birds, watching the rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels and deer. She enjoyed meticulously measuring and planning her flower beds, growing tomatoes and building a retainer wall of rocks securing her privet hedges, predicting the weather by looking at nature’s signs and sitting out on her front porch watching the starry skies.
Music was a large part of Irene’s life with always a radio playing her favorite artists: Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, Bobby Vinton, and Tom Jones. One of Irene’s favorite songs was “Good Night Irene” by the Weavers. Irene was also a skilled dancer in Polkas, Waltz’s, Fox Trot and Line dancing!
Actively, she enjoyed bicycle rides, Tai Chi, bowling until almost 87 years old (belonging to Guys and Dolls Bowling League), being a member of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Ladies Guild and traveling with her Senior groups/Senior Circle to places: Branson, Missouri; Washington, DC; New York City; Ogilvie Virginia; Frankenmuth, Michigan, Mackinac Island; Chicago, Illinois, Outer Bank, North Carolina and Dollywood, Tennessee.
Passionately, Irene loved learning whether it was gathering information at a museum/zoo display, the newspaper, books, mastering crossword puzzles/sudoku and diligently taking computer classes to learn the new age of computers, keeping updated with modern advancements in technology which all contributed to her incredible memory skills!
Mostly, Irene will be remembered as a true inspiration and a blessing to her family and all those who were privileged to know her!
Memorial Gathering will be held:
Friday February 13 from 7:00-8:30 P.M with Parastas to begin at 7:30 p.m. (prayer service)
VODRAZKA GOLUBSKI DELIBERATO FUNERAL CARE
6505 Brecksville Road.
Independence, Ohio 44139
Byzantine Catholic Funeral Mass will be held Saturday at 10:00 A.M.
St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Solon, Ohio
27275 Aurora Road
Solon, Ohio 44139
Inurnment: St. Andrews Ukrainian Cemetery
7700 Hoertz Road
Parma, Ohio 44134
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