O death . . .
where is thy victory? O death where is thy sting? For He (Christ) has triumphed o’er the grave and all who have believed in Him shall live with Him forever.
My dear friend Olga, who has fought a valiant fight against breast cancer some number of years now, passed from this life today, but death is no victor here. Her faith remained sweet and steady right through to the end. Our church family has been kept informed of her status these past few weeks as her health declined rapidly and all I can say is may my faith endure as hers has. The details of her joy in the midst of her circumstances have been convicting to me personally. May my life be a testimony as sweet as hers, always pointing to Christ and what He’s done on my behalf, and focusing on what He’s done in me and through me and even despite me to draw others attention from whatever distracts them to Him and Him alone. For He is worthy. He can be trusted. Who else have I in heaven or on earth but Him? He is my rock, my fortress, my help in time of trouble, my joy in all my circumstances, my “all in all”.
I will miss Olga, but I will see her again. For He has triumphed o’er the grave and is alive and preparing a place in heaven - for her, she is there already, and for me, where I hope to be soon enough, and for all who believe. Press on dear ones that we may be proven faithful to the end!
Here is her obituary as it appeared in the Burlington Free Press
10/02/2006 OLGA KOPYSTIANSKYJ ESSEX JUNCTION — Olga Kopystianskyj, 59 , of Berkley Street in South Burlington died Saturday, Sept. 30, 2006 at the home of her dear friends, Sue and Wes Pastor in Essex Junction. She was born March 10, 1947 in Aschaffenburg, Germany, the daughter of Andronik and Irene (Kuc) Kopystianskyj. She was a graduate of Uniondale High School in Uniondale, N.Y. and Bellevue School of Nursing. She joined the Peace Corps for two years, serving in Brazil. She worked as a nurse at Fletcher Allen Health Care until her retirement in 2004. Olga enjoyed tennis, skiing and traveling the world. Olga was a beloved member of Christ Memorial Church. She grew into a loving, caring, and compassionate believer in Jesus Christ, convinced that her Savior and Lord had redeemed her from a life of sin, and freed her to serve God and those in her community. Her faith sustained her through her diagnosis and treatment of cancer, and comforted her until her death. She died knowing that she will in fact live forever with the Lord, rejoicing at the grace extended to her and freely supplied through Jesus’ death on the cross. She is survived by her brother, Bohdan and his wife Patricia; three nieces, Stefa, Tania and Oksana; a nephew Markian and Stefa’s children, Samantha, Matthew, Kelley and Erin. There will be visiting hours at Christ Memorial Church on Route 2A in Williston on Monday evening from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with a funeral service to follow. Committal services will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery in Hamptonburgh, N.Y. Those who wish may make contributions in her memory to New England Theological Seminary, Williston, VT 05495. Arrangements are in the care of the Ready Funeral & Cremation Service Mountain View Chapel, 68 Pinecrest Dr., Essex Junction.
