NOTES ON PEOPLE (02/04/01)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Floridian celebrates 105th birthday

NORTH PORT, Fla. - Barbara Gruchowsky recently celebrated her 105th birthday, making her one of the oldest residents of this Florida community. She holds that the secrets of longevity and happiness are smiling often and thanking God for her health.

Mrs. Gruchowsky's family members, 77-year-old daughter Dorothy Wylder along with her son-in-law John Wylder and her grandson Dr. Michael Brodin, had the pleasure of uniting at the Quality Health Care nursing home to celebrate Mrs. Gruchowsky's birthday on November 21, 2000. They came bearing a cake covered with 105 candles.

Mrs. Gruchowsky was born in Halychyna, Ukraine, and moved to America as a teenager in the early 1900s. She married Daniel Gruchowsky at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in New York. They had two daughters, Stacy and Dorothy and were married for 55 years.

Mrs. Gruchowsky cared for her husband for 22 years, when he became partially paralyzed after falling off a ladder while repairing the roof. She worked in various places, as a seamstress, a servant and a cook, provider for the family. Mrs. Gruchowsky was involved also in the Ukrainian community as a charter member of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America. She also volunteered in a church in North Port, Fla., with her daughter Stacy, who has since passed away.

Mr. Wylder describes his mother-in-law as "an amazing woman." He explained: "When she was 70 years old she was still painting the high ceilings in her home. It wasn't until she turned 80 and decided to sell her home because she couldn't keep up with the demands of a house and yard. Until then she would do things like mix her own cement and fill potholes."

Although Mrs. Gruchowsky has encountered much and worked very hard during her 105 years, she is still in good health. Remarkably, she suffers only from hearing loss and a slight vision problem. Her daughter Dorothy (a member of Ukrainian National Association Branch 307-394) said, "Her mind is alert and her memory is fantastic, however she is physically frail."

Gets citizenship at the age of 107

PHILADELPHIA - At age 107, Alexandra Dubinsky was given U.S. citizenship, along with an American flag and a bouquet of pink roses on December 13, 2000, making her one of the oldest people to take the oath of American citizenship. Wasil Dubinsky, her 74-year-old son, accompanied his mother to the ceremony.

Mrs. Dubinsky is originally from Ukraine, but has resided in Philadelphia for many years. She was born on May 10, 1893, on a farm where she lived the first half of her life. Her hometown was located about 20 miles away from the present-day site of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. Mrs. Dubinsky emigrated to the United States in 1950 as a refugee after enduring a Nazi farming camp.

She was among 68 new citizens who recited the "Pledge of Allegiance" and the oath of citizenship during the ceremony in Philadelphia. Immigration officer Hairabed Kazandjian, who interviewed Mrs. Dubinsky in June to approve her for her citizenship, was impressed with her vitality. "She just did not come across as 107 years old," he said. "She's just very nice and seemed really happy," he added.

Under the circumstances of advanced age, health and the extended period of time that Mrs. Dubinsky has lived in the United States, she was able to skip the extensive history test that is normally required of most applicants. During her interview, Mr. Kazandjian reported, Mrs. Dubinsky mostly reminisced about her family and "the old country."

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