REMEMBRANCE: The spirit and the energy of Halya Duda (06/22/97)

REMEMBRANCE: The spirit and the energy of Halya Duda

by Wawa Baczynskyj

Irresistible! Before you knew it, you were laughing or singing or dancing, as Halya Duda's energy captivated you and brought alive one of her favorite expressions, "What a beautiful day!"

Her sparkling eyes, red cheeks, joyful laughter, golden hair, expressive hands and dancing feet vibrated with the urge to live life to the fullest. An insatiable thirst to discover the meaning of life and a persevering faith accompanied her adventures of self-growth. She acted on her belief that one can make a difference. And she did ... and she did it in her way.

Halya Duda danced off into eternity on May 3. She left behind many friends whose lives she had enriched by including them in the circle of her dance of life.

Halya loved to study. Her academic journey was rich: B.S. 1967 (secondary education and English, State University of New York), S.M. 1970 (education, State University of New York), Ed.D. 1975 (education, Harvard University), M.B.A. 1994 (business administration, University of Hartford).

Her organizational abilities, coupled with determined initiative and hard work, saw her through a professional career in education and business. Among others, Halya held positions as assistant dean and director of continuing education at Mercy College (New York) and academic dean at St. Joseph College (Connecticut). Most recently she was the director of executive development for KPMG Peat Marwick. In addition, she was chief of management and director of program administration at ITT, The Hartford Insurance Group, and director of consulting at Dean, Howard and Simon Inc. She also formed her own company, Achievement Technology, specializing in personnel training as a consultant and workshop leader.

Besides developing professional skills, Halya also pursued spiritual growth, becoming an active participant in the Catholic charismatic movement. Halya engaged God in ongoing conversation in daily life and found her God to be joyful - full of adventures, risks and solace.

Halya was actively involved in the Ukrainian community. Her years growing up were intertwined with Ukrainian Saturday school and SUM-A (Ukrainian American Youth Association). Introduced to the summer "Mecca" of many Ukrainian Americans, Soyuzivka, as a waitress during college, she became a frequent visitor. Her singing and guitar playing invigorated many sessions of envelope stuffing to raise money for the Harvard Ukrainian Studies Fund. The Ukrainian National Women's League of America, the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, and several church choirs also benefited from her energy and talents.

When newly independent Ukraine emerged, Halya eagerly volunteered her skills to conduct a leadership and communication workshop for the Ukrainian army. Her warm, outgoing style quickly transformed formal military classrooms into interactive workshops where startled commanders marveled that one could actually learn serious concepts through playful exercises.

Her good times at Soyuzivka sparked another new project, and Halya became a founding member of Club Suzie-Q. Who doesn't remember her smile at introductory hug-ins that immediately made one feel welcome? During the weeklong stay, Club Suzie-Q became a series of rafting trips and tennis games, barbecues and gourmet dinners, sing-alongs and dancing, along with thoughtful conversations, animated debates, fund-raising efforts, friendly and romantic involvements. Club Suzie-Q gathered an ever-widening circle of participants taking a breather during an August week to share friendship with each other. Halya seemed the grand hostess of these gatherings.

Above all, Halya's motto was to include. Her friends came from many backgrounds. They varied in race, gender, education, occupation, ethnic origin and sexual affiliation. They were all drawn together by her warm and joyous personality.

All these friends rejoiced when Halya whirled into married life with Gene Fleischhauer on Thanksgiving weekend 1995 - where else, but at Soyuzivka? Happiness reigned on a glorious day, and a radiant couple basked in its sunshine.

"Winds of change" - another of Halya's favorite expressions - came suddenly with the fateful discovery of cancer. Always the optimist, she courageously said, "I feel as if I've been pushed off a diving board, and now the challenge is how to swim." Halya met that challenge in her own way, choosing her strokes and charting her course.

Halya continued to be surrounded by her circle of friends, her family and, above all, embraced by the love and care of her husband.

Halya may have died physically, but she did not lose the game. The game was not cancer. For her, the only game was life. She won because she danced it joyfully, stretching its steps into a tango of thought and spirituality, a rumba of laughter and song, a waltz of love and kindness. And many of us danced some steps with her in that inclusive, energetic circle of friendship.

She continues to make a difference to those who knew her and encourages us to make each day worthwhile.

As a tribute to her generous spirit, we have initiated a permanent Halya Duda Memorial Fund at the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund. It will operate on the basis of investment dividends, and will be earmarked for detection and treatment of breast cancer at the Lviv Medical Institute. Both symbolically and practically, this fund will forever carry to Ukraine the spirit of Halya's joy and love.

To make donations please specify "Halya Duda Memorial Fund" and mail to: Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund, 272 Old Short Hills Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078.

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