Donald Lewyckyj's Obituary
Donald (Bogdan) Lewyckyj was born in 1948 in Mittenwald, Germany. He was the second son of John (Ivan) and Helen (Halyna) Lewyckyj. Together with his parents and brother Alex, he arrived as an infant in the United States in May 1949. The family settled in Buffalo, New York and relocated to Amherst, Ohio in 1958. Donald was a typical kid in his day, early on playing with neighborhood friends on Babcock Street and the nearby Boys’ Club of Buffalo and later on playing and working on the small family farm on Dewey Road in Amherst. Yet, Donald was an accomplished musician, playing the accordion. He appeared on “Uncle Jerry’s TV Show” at the age of six and later on the Cleveland-based “Polka Varieties.” As part of the Kolomeyka Trio he performed at weddings, parties and other “zabavas,” often at the Ukrainian Home in south Lorain. He was a graduate of Marion L. Steele High School and attended Kent State University. He married Sharon Bobel of Lorain in November 1968 and was inducted into the US Army less than two months later. He served in Vietnam for a year. Regular reunions with his 4th Infantry, 6-29 Artillery A Battery pals gave him much joy. On his return stateside he took work at the Ford Motor Assembly Plant, working his way into management and eventually becoming the plant Quality Assurance Manager. During this time, Don and Sharon made a home on Washington Avenue in Lorain and went on to have three daughters: Jennifer, Jacqueline, and Jillian.
Nearly 10 years after Sharon’s death in 1993, Donald remarried to Lori Novotny of Avon Lake in April 2002. They continued living at the Washington Avenue residence. Throughout his life Donald was a devoted husband and father, a good co-worker and a very effective and respected manager, a good friend to many, and, even something of a “fashion plate,” based on his love of stylish clothes and fine suits. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Sharon, both parents, and brothers Alex (Diane) and Walter (Linda). He is survived by wife, Lori; three daughters, Jennifer Lewyckyj, Jacqueline Lewyckyj, and Jillian Kish (Ryan); sister, Marianne Smith (Scott); brother Raymond (Beth); stepchildren, Daniel, Kristin, Michael, (Amy); grandson, Noah Lewyckyj; and step grandchildren, Nicholas and Bentley.
A small, open-air, socially-distanced, graveside ceremony was held by the immediate family on Thursday, January 21, 2021, at 1 pm. The ceremony was presided over by Father Daniel O. Divis, Pastor of St. Mary’s parish. The Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center, 1110 Cooper Foster Park Road, Amherst, OH, assisted the family with arrangements. To send an online condolence, please go to www.dovinreberjones.com. Any memorial contributions may go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
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