Obituary of Frank F. Stuban

STUBAN - Frank Fedir Stuban, 92 , of Seymour, died peacefully, after receiving the Sacrament of Last Rites at the home of his daughter Susan in Trumbull. He was surrounded by his family. Mr. Stuban was born in the village of Berezok, Bojko Region, Ukraine, on December 20, 1922. He was the son of the late Maksym and Maria (Pikulickyj) Stuban. He was the beloved husband of Helene Bruchmann Stuban for 57 years. Besides his wife, he is survived by his three children, son LtCol (Dr.) Steven Stuban U.S. Army (Ret) of Fairfax, VA; daughter and son-in-law, Attorneys Susan and Thomas Monks of Trumbull; and daughter and son-in-law Attorneys Lydia and Chris Antoniou of Potomac, MD. Mr. Stuban has seven grandchildren, LTJG Lydia Monks USCG of Key West, FL; Paul, Bridget, Patrick and Peter Monks of Trumbull and Christine and Suzanne Antoniou of Potomac. He is also survived by close relatives in Berwick and Ambridge, PA, Australia and Ukraine and a sister in law Christa Baraniak of Rochester, NY. He was predeceased by his two brothers, Stefan Bachur and Nicholas Stuban, his grandson Nicholas Stuban and his daughter in law, LtCol Sandra Lesher Stuban, U.S. Army and his American mentor/cousin Ted Stuban. In 1939, at the age of 17, Stuban was on a train to a seminary in Poland to study for the priesthood. Enroute, the train was halted by the German SS and he was forced on a cattle train to Germany where he worked in forced labor camps for the duration of WWII. He often spoke of his liberation by the US Army and was determined to find a new home in the United States. After the war, he worked in Germany, Holland, France and England. He settled in Nottingham, England working in a lace factory. While in England, Frank and his Ukrainian Dance Troupe performed for the Royal Family, and he personally danced with Princess Margaret. His dream eventually came true when his uncle, John Stuban and cousin Evelyn of Berwick, sponsored him to come to the United States in 1954. He arrived in the U.S. aboard the SS United States and was greeted by his cousins Ted and Vee Stuban. He then found employment in NYC and lived in the lower east side Ukrainian community where he married. He was a member of the Ukrainian Dumka Choir. After visiting fellow camp buddies in Seymour, he fell in love with the beautiful landscape of the valley region and Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ansonia. He then cleared a lot and built his own house in Seymour and moved his family there in 1960. He was employed as a laborer for 28 years by the Nichols Engineering Corp in Shelton, retiring in 1983. Frank was an active volunteer, spending countless hours in religious and community organizations. His most notable accomplishment is to have taught thousands of students in Ukrainian folk dancing, singing, language and culture. He was very proud of his Ukrainian heritage and was eager to share his knowledge, especially in the art of decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs, “pysanky.” He was chairman of performing arts for the 125th Anniversary of Seymour and the 200th Anniversary of our Nation celebrations. He was a member and board of director of the Valley Arts Council. He was a member and officer of the Seymour Historical Society and Valley Transit Commission. He was elected to serve on Seymour’s Library board as a director and treasurer. He was a member of Seymour’s Democratic Town Committee for 20 years and elected to the Seymour Board of Selectmen. He was twice a candidate for Connecticut State Representative from the 125th Legislative District. He was commissioner and chairman of Seymour’s Economic Development Commission for 10 years. He was an executive board member for the Valley’s Special Olympics. Frank, a fourth degree Knight of Columbus, was recently honored with the Venerable Father Michael McGiveny Service Award. He was treasurer of the American Russian Club in Shelton for many years. He was secretary and treasurer of the Ukrainian National Association Branch 67 since 1988. He was a devoted parishioner of Sts. Peter and Paul Church Ansonia since 1959 and member of the Holy Name Society. The Church hosted a banquet in his honor for his service to the church in May of 2013. Stuban was proud of his children’s military service and education accomplishments. He gardened up until his 91st year and enjoyed sharing the bounty of his labor. He also was an avid contributor to several local newspapers with news articles and pictures. Special thank you to Thomas and Susan Monks and his grandchildren for caring for Frank in their home, and also thank you to special neighbors the Wilhelm’s, Di Giovannis’, Dlugokenski’s, and Herman Szalek. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Holy Name Society of Sts. Peter and Paul Church. Funeral services will take place on Monday, January 26, 2015 at 9:00 AM from the Wakelee Memorial Funeral Home, 167 Wakelee Avenue, Ansonia. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at 10:00 AM in Sts. Peter and Paul Church, 105 Clifton Ave., Ansonia. Springtime interment will take place in Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Derby. Family and friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday, January 25, 2015, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM; Panakhida at 6:30PM. Online condolences may be made at www.wakeleememorial.com.