Mary, Maria Kusek, Kycek Luchak was born on April 13, 1898 in Ispas, Bukovina, Austria. At age 13 (a few weeks short of 14), she married Nickoli, Nicholai, Nickolas Luchak on February 1, 1912 at the Shandro Church in Hamlin, Alberta. They had 8 children. She died on November 25, 1989 at age 91 and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Maria or Mary’s paternal grandparents:
Paternal Grandparents: Osatafel Kusek or Kycek (limited information available). No information about the paternal grandmother—Baba did not know her. They had 4 children: Michalo (Mike), Andrea, Mokofee, and Elash.
Maria or Mary’s maternal grandparents:
Maternal grandparents: Alex Malesh. He was married to Wasylena Tokar. Baba had very fond, early memories of her maternal grandmother and the times they spent together before Baba immigrated to Canada with her family in 1903 at age 5. They had 6 children: Odokia (Doris), Maria, Onufrey, Anatsa, Nastasia, Yarena
Maria or Mary’s parents:
Michalo or Mike Kusek or Kycek. He is buried in Kahvin, Alberta. He was married to Odokia or Eudokia (Doris) Malesh who died on December 22, 1906 of pneumonia at age 28 (when Baba was only 8 years old). She is buried in Kahvin, Alberta. They had 3 children: Mary, Maria (her father called her Marichka), Helen, and Pearl.
Mike Kusek remarried. His second wife was named Mary Stefuik and she became Baba’s step-mother. According to Baba, Mary Stefuik was 17 years old when she married Baba’s father who was about 35 at the time of this marriage. Mary Stefuik and Baba did not get along and so Baba left the home at an early age. They had 5 children: Wasylena (died at age 2), Bill, Rosie, John, Irene.
In 1903, both Nicholas’ parents and Maria’s parents immigrated to Canada together in a group of 17 families. Nicholas was 11 years old and Maria was 5 years old.