Nina Danchuk of Livingston New Jersey died peacefully on Saturday, August 7, 2021, at her second home in Lake Rogerene, New Jersey, at the age of 93. She was surrounded by her family members.
Services will be held Friday, August 13, at 11 a.m. at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Ascension, located at 650 Irvington Avenue, Maplewood, New Jersey. Burial will follow at approximately 1 p.m. at St. Andrew Ukrainian Cemetery in South Bound Brook, NJ. Because of COVID concerns, there will be no viewings, and the repast lunch will he held at the Lake Rogerene Civic Association outdoor pavilion, 14 Rogerene Way, Landing NJ 07850 at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please plant a special tree or flower in her memory.
Nina was born on February 20, 1928, in western Ukraine. She and her older sister, Paulina, were orphaned at an early age. As a result of World War II, even though they came from a landed family, they were forced to abandon their beloved homeland. They then started their trek to western Europe, from where they finally immigrated to the United States.
Once Nina reached the United States, she met her life partner, Alex Danchuk, and they were married in 1952. They lived in a one bedroom apartment in Newark with Alex’s parents, Michael and Alexandra Danchuk. Her first son, Michael, was born in 1953. While Alex studied to transfer his engineering degree to the U.S., Nina worked on a assembly line to help support the family. They bought their first property in the United States on Shelter Island, New York, and built a home.
In 1957, they moved to Livingston, New Jersey, where Nina’s younger son, Andrew, was born in 1963. The Danchuk family continued to live in the same home in Livingston for over 60 years. She eventually moved in with Andrew and his wife, Paula, in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey.
Nina was a lover of nature, an amazing gardener, believed in a fair and just world, and was never afraid to grab a saw or a fishing pole. Well-versed in current events, she was constantly reading. There was nothing she could not do, and was a true partner with Alex. She was a skilled baker, some of her recipes being one of a kind, like her nut cakes, made with crushed walnuts and almonds instead of flour. Nina believed in conservation, and her family is still using the ...
