Peter Bondra
Born in Lutsk, Ukraine in 1968. When he was three years old, his father moved the family back to his home country of Slovakia. Bondra’s father left his birthplace of Jakubany, Slovakia in 1947 in search of better work.
Peter Bondra is a former Slovak professional ice hockey player, who became the general manager of the Slovak national team. Bondra became the 37th player in NHL history to score 500 NHL goals. Bondra’s sons, David and Nick, are following in their father’s footsteps. David is a forward for the Chicago Steel and Nick is playing for the Washington Jr. Nationals.
Sandra Dee (1942-2005)
Born Alexandria Zuck to John and Mary Cymboliak in Bayonne, New Jersey. Her mother was of Carpatho-Rusyn ancestry. Dee began her career as a model and progressed to film. Dee won a Golden Globe Award in 1959 as one of the year's most promising newcomers. By the late 1960s her career had started to decline, and a highly publicized marriage to the actor Bobby Darin ended in divorce. She rarely acted after this time. Her later years were marred by illness. She died as a result of renal failure.
Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich
Miriam Teresa Demjanovich was born March 26, 1901 in Bayonne, New Jersey. The daughter of Ruthenian immigrants Alexander and Johanna (Suchy) Demjanovich, her parents came to the United States from Bardejov, Eastern Slovakia. Alexander and Johanna worshipped and were married at the Greek Catholic church of the Holy Spirit in Bardejov, Eastern Slovakia. Miriam was baptized and chrismated in St. John’s Greek Catholic church, Bayonne on March 31, 1901. Alexander and Johanna had seven children, Miriam was the youngest. Miriam grew up beside the oil refineries that mark the landscape of this portion of New Jersey. She resided at East 22nd Street in Bayonne. Miriam attended grammar school and graduated Bayonne high school in January, 1917. After graduation, Miriam wanted to enter the convent as a Carmelite nun. However, due to her home situation, she could not become a nun as her mother was ill and in need of care. After her mother’s death in November, 1918, Miriam was encouraged to apply to the College of Saint Elizabeth at Convent Station, New Jersey. After her acceptance in 1919, Miriam majored in literature and received a Baccalaureate in Letters on June 14, 1923. She graduated with high honors and during the 1923-1924 Semester, taught at the Academy of Saint Aloysius in Jersey City, New Jersey. During her time at the college, many individuals remarked on Miriam’s humility and genuine piety. She could be found kneeling in the college chapel at all hours and was very devoted to praying the rosary. Other students sought her out to speak of their problems as she always had a kind word and was very comforting. Miriam longed to enter religious life but was not positive what community or order to choose. After much thought, reflection and prayer, she decided to enter the community of the Sisters of Charity at Convent Station on February 11, 1925. It is very interesting to note that Sister Miriam never received a change of rite. Sister Miriam remained a Greek Rite Catholic while serving as a sister in a Roman Rite order.
Sister Miriam’s literary talents were very apparent. With the blessing of Father Benedict Bradley along with the full permission of the convent’s Mother Superior, Sister Miriam wrote a series of conferences. Much later, these conferences would be published and entitled “Greater Perfection.” Sister Miriam made a profession of vows but, her life was very short. She died in Saint Elizabeth Hospital in Elizabeth, New Jersey on May 8, 1927. She was only 26 years old and was buried at Holy Family Cemetery at Convent Station.
After her death, people began reported healings and answered prayers due to her intercession. Documentation was gathered and prepared to be sent to Rome. One healing attributed to her intercession, the total cure of a child who was classified as legally blind from Teaneck, NJ, was very meticulously investigated. Testimony and other background information was compiled and sent to Rome for a final review by the medical board at the Vatican. The Apostolic Process was held from May 18, 1981 to December 18, 1981. Information was provided by Father Ambrose Eszer, O.P., Relator General of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. More documentation was sent to Rome during the 1990’s. In 1999 a full biography of Sister Miriam Teresa and her virtues was prepared and delivered to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
An important development in this process came on July 8, 2005 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. A ceremony was held to close the investigative process for the beatification of the Servant of God Sister Miriam Teresa. Archbishop John J. Myers signed and sealed all final documents which would be submitted to the Vatican. A mass was held in Our Lady’s Chapel in the Cathedral after the sealing of documentation. The information was then taken in person to the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington, D.C. The documentation was then transported to Rome by the Nuncio and given to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. After review of all gathered testimony, information and other important documents, all that remains is the determination of the medical board. As recent as February, 2012, a group of Cardinals met to discuss the virtues of Sister Miriam’s case. If everything will be determined acceptable, the cause of Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, the daughter of Ruthenian immigrants from Bardejov, Eastern Slovakia, will be presented to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI who will pronounce the Servant of God “Blessed.” If this takes place, Sister Miriam will become the first candidate for beautification from the State of New Jersey.
Update-May 16, 2012
It was announced at the Vatican on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Pope Benedict XVI elevated Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a Carpatho-Rusyn Greek (Byzantine Rite) Catholic nun whose parents came from Eastern Slovakia from her previous classification as a “Servant of God” to “Venerable.” The announcement was made by Archbishop John Meyers of Newark, New Jersey. A cardinal recommended that Sister Demjanovich be elevated and the Pope agreed. The process for the cause of Sister Demjanovich is moving forward and the next step is to be elevated to the title of “Blessed.” After this, the final step would be that Sister Miriam Teresa Demjanovich will be canonized a saint.
Cora-Ann Mihalik
Cora owes her Carpatho-Rusyn Roots to her mother Anna Harvilla. Anna was born in Vysny Orlik in 1928. She arrived at the Port of New York in 1929 sailing on the SS President Roosevelt sailing from Bremen, Germany. She was traveling with her mother Mary and sister Mary. They were joining Anna’s father Peter Harvilla who was residing at 19 Monroe Street, Passaic, New Jersey.
A broadcast journalist since college, Cora-Ann Mihalik is a native of Elmwood Park, New Jersey who joined WWOR-TV in 1998 and was a reporter for My9 News. She left Ch.9 in early 2011 ending a 25 year run on WNYW and WWOR.
Prior to My9, Mihalik co-anchored "The 10 O'clock news" on WNYW-TV/Fox 5 from 1987 until 1994. While there, she also was the original anchor for "Fox News at Seven" and joined Fox in 1986 as one of the originators of its syndicated TV show "A Current Affair." Mihalik also inaugurated Fox-TV's first national news updates and anchored Fox's first national coverage of the presidential nominating conventions.
Irena Nevická
Written by, Joy E. Kovalycsik
Researched by, Steven M. Osifchin
Irena Nevická was a published and well known author who resided in Ujak/Udol. Born Irena Anna Burik in Zbudska Bela (Medzilaborce district) on December 10, 1886, she was the daughter of Paul Burik, a professor who graduated from Budapest and Vienna Universities and Anna Rovaliczky. Irena was baptized in the Greek (Byzantine) Catholic church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (erected 1730) on February 20, 1887. She would spend her entire life writing about religious faith and striving to elevate the level of Rusyn awareness. During the early years, she attended German and Hungarian elementary schools in the town of Sabinov which was approximately 65 miles from Zbudska Bela. Unfortunately, tragedy befell this author early as her mother, Anna died when Irena was a young girl. After her mother’s untimely death, her father Paul decided to move and the family lived in Stara Lubovna and Presov. During this time Irena’s grandmother helped care for her. Later, Irena applied and was accepted at the Presov Greek Catholic Teachers’ College. This college (constructed in 1895) was an institution of higher learning operated by the Greek Catholic church. The college offered a focus on the exclusive training of elementary school teachers. Irena was very sensitive to the needs of the Rusyn people and these strong feelings would be pronounced in her writings. Also, she wished to elevate the educational standards of those who did not have opportunities to attend elementary school or college. Her ideas were also instrumental in the establishment of many amateur theater groups. She wrote plays and organized formal Catechism schools to instruct children in the Greek Catholic faith. Her plays were interwoven with inspirational themes such as having pride in your heritage and spiritual awareness.
In 1912, while living in Udol/Ujak she wrote a play “Providence” which was performed quite frequently. She also wrote plays entitled “Fire”, “Christmas Gift,” “Destiny” and “Prince Fedor Koryatovych.” During these years she also wrote poetry and one anthem of unification of the Ruthenian lands was prevalent in her poem “Koryatovych on Top of the Carpathians.” A portion of the poem in English states: and people, Prince of people Carpathians, and his love sincere brother, my brother, to work, to work, to liberty, the spring bloom cornfield and paradise is still here, to life!
Irena married a Greek Catholic priest, Father Emil Nevicky born August 27, 1878 in Semetkovce. Father Emil was the son of Anton Nevicky, parish priest in Semetkovce and Gabriella Andrejkovits. In 1909, Father Emil became resident pastor of St. Dimitry’s Greek Catholic church in Ujak/Udol and would remain for eleven years. Her husband would travel to America many times to serve in various capacities. In 1911, Irena published a number of periodicals under the pen names Nedilja, Anna Novak and Anna Gorjak. Later, she would discard her pen names and only utilize her formal name. On October 4, 1920 Irena’s husband Father Emil was in the United States and visited Saint Michael’s Greek (Byzantine) Catholic Church (later Cathedral) in Passaic, New Jersey. This church was built by many of his former parishioners who had immigrated; over 50 percent of the parish were from Ujak/Udol. Father Emil offered mass, visited with his former parishioners and spoke at a public meeting. Father Emil also toured the United States and visited sixty communities. In November 1920 he returned to Slovakia but on December 26, 1921, he once again emigrated from the Port of Southampton on the SS Carmania and arrived at the Port of New York. Father Emil joined his uncle, Father Michael Andrejkovic, who was pastor of St. Mary’s Greek (Byzantine) Catholic Church in Jersey City, New Jersey. His shipping manifest states Irena remained in Slovakia and resided at 16 Majsesova, Presov.
Irena and Father Emil had a number of children; a few being Dionyz (born 1904 in Cicava), Paul (born 1906 in Cicava), Elizabeth (born 1908, birthplace unknown), Nicholas (born 1910 in Ujak/Udol), Martha (born 1914 in Ujak/Udol) and Vladimir (born 1919 in Ujak/Udol.) Irena continued to write essays, poetry and translated numerous novels and literary works; she was a full time mother but never stopped being an author.
While her husband was in America, Irena founded a women’s association (Soyuz) and published a yearly calendar (Zenscyn) which circulated in Eastern Slovakia beginning in 1922. Also, during this period she was very active with women’s groups, one being named “Enlightenment” in Presov and one with ties to Uzhgorod. In 1924 she published a very popular novel “Truth” a historical and spiritual work pertaining to the early church based upon the bible. This novel began Irena’s wide ranging success as an author and her name became well known.
In July 1923 her husband Father Emil was installed the first resident pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Greek (Byzantine) Catholic Church in Minersville, Pennsylvania. He would remain at this church until 1939. He returned to Slovakia for visits and one, to meet with the Bishop of Presov, Bishop (later pronounced Blessed by Pope John Paul II) Paul Goydich on November 30, 1930. While in America, Father Emil also was pastor of Holy Spirit Greek (Byzantine) Catholic Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Father Emil worked tireless hours to raise all necessary funds for the construction of a new church for his Williamsport parishioners. The new church; across the street from the first church; was blessed on May 30, 1925. The dedication services were held by the Dean of the area Greek Catholic churches, Nicholas Chopey. Dean Chopey was assisted during this service by Father Nevicky and Father Chanat of St. John’s Greek (Byzantine) Catholic Church in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 1925, Irena once again published a novel “Divine Providence” and in 1929 another book was published entitled “Present.” Irinia at this time continued to write plays which were performed on the stage in Presov, Medzilaborce and even in Uzhgorod. Also, from 1931 to 1932, Irena began publishing the newspaper “Word of Nation.” This was the first newspaper printed in the Rusyn language and was issued bi-monthly. Irena worked constantly to highlight the national identity of our people in Slovakia.
On December 30, 1939 Irena once again experienced sorrow when her husband, Father Emil died. Irena was only 53 years old. Many of her stories and periodicals from this period combined a spiritual theme with a solid moral message. Her style was flowing and very creative which drew a large audience. Irena also loved to weave tales of good triumphing over evil and personal heroics in the face of difficult challenges. Publications during this time were “Sunday Rusin,” “Our Native Land,” “Freedom,” and “Trembita.”
After the Second World War and with the tyranny of the communist system, Irena’s works were classified as “bourgeois nationalism” and her writings were limited or banned outright. Irena continued to write but on a limited scale. She did continue her work with various women’s groups but as these became indoctrinated by communist philosophy, she withdrew and ceased to be a writer, journalist and advocate for her cultural heritage. At this time nothing of a religious nature; especially by someone who was Greek Catholic and the wife of a Greek Catholic priest (the Greek Catholic Church was outlawed by the communist regime in 1950); could be published. She also could no longer teach children their Greek Catholic catechism. Teachers were not permitted to give religious instruction and ones who had been trained in church based university were rarely given employment. During this period Irena lived a difficult life. Her works were banned, the Greek Catholic Church was outlawed and views on the church and of a strong national identity made her the target of persecution.
On September 21, 1965, after working a lifetime as an author, playwright, teacher and supporting her husband in his service to the Greek Catholic church for numerous years, Irena Anna Nevicka passed away in Presov at the age of 79. She was buried in the Presov community cemetery. Two works written and never published during the communist period are now in print. One novel is “Matija Kukolka” and it was first published during the Prague Spring of 1968, a second printing was issued in 1994. The other is a research report on renovation work performed on a Renaissance Manor House at Demjata, near Presov in Eastern Slovakia. The name of the report is “Renaissance Castle in Demjata,” it was published in Bratislava in 1982.
Thankfully, Slovakia now is a free and independent nation. Irena Nevicka’s works are being published once more for a new generation to discover her brilliant literary talent. This devoted author played a significant part in Rusyn cultural life. Since 1991, Irena’s plays have been performed throughout the Presov region and enjoy overwhelming success. Each year there is a competition in her memory for the best actors in each play category. The next “Irena Nevicka” artistic competition will be held in Presov during 2012.
She has also not been forgotten in her former town of residence. The villagers of present day Udol/Ujak renamed the house of culture (social gathering hall) in her memory. A memorial plaque dedicated to Irena Nevická has been placed on the building honoring her life and literary accomplishments. Many of these literary works were written in the village of Ujak/Udol. Thankfully, they are read and performed once more.
Lizabeth Scott
Born Emma Matzo in 1922 in the Pine Brook Section of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The daughter of John and Mary Matzo. Her father a Ruthenian immigrant from *Dubrynychi, Ukraine owned and operated a General Store in the Pine Brook section of Scranton.
Lizabeth was an actress and singer widely known for her roles in Hollywood Crime Dramas.
* Bercsényifalva (Hungarian), Dubriniče (Czech), Dubrinics (Hungarian)
Tom Selleck
Born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Martha S. nee Jagger, a homemaker and Robert D. Selleck, an executive and real estate investor. An actor and film producer, best known for his starring role as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum on the 1980s television show Magnum, P.I.
It has been reported that Tom Selleck has Rusyn Roots. Census Records & Researched Family Trees take his Selleck lineage back to the 1800s in Michigan, void of any Slovak or Rusyn heritage. His Canadian Roots (via his grandmother Nellie Louise Fife go back to Scotland). His mother Martha Jagger's line from Pennsylvania traces back to England. This is contrary to what has been written. Also contrary to some internet reports his father Robert D. Selleck was born in Lapeer County, Michigan, not Slovakia.
Not sure if we can still claim Tom as one of our own.
If anyone has solid evidence of his Rusyn ancestry please contact us.
Robert Urich, (1946-2002)
The son of American born Carpatho-Rusyn and Slovak parents. He was born in the small mill town of Toronto, Ohio close to the West Virginia border. His grandfather Peter Urich was born July 18, 1880 in the village of *Venecia the son of John Jurits a farmer of the Greek Catholic Faith and Julianna Volesko also of the Greek Catholic Faith. Peter died in 1960 in East Liverpool, Ohio. He was a resident of Stratton, Ohio. Robert's grandmother Theresa Urich nee Pillar was born in November 26, 1888 in Lukov the daughter of George Panyko Pilyar a farmer of the Greek Catholic Faith and and Sophia Rohely also of the Greek Catholic Faith. Theresa died in 1943 in East Liverpool, Ohio. She was a resident of Stratton, Ohio.
An actor he is most known for his starring roles in the television series Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire. He died in 2002 in Thousand Oaks, California. The actor announced in 1996 that he was suffering from synovial cell sarcoma, a rare cancer that attacks the body's joints.
*In 1944, Venecia was merged into Lukov.
Andy Warhol, (1928-1987)
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The son of Andrew Warhola and Julia Zavacka Carpatho-Rusyn immigrants from the village of Miková, Slovakia; formerly Mikova, Zemplén County.
He was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator Warhol became famous for his work as a painter, avant-garde, filmmaker, record producer, author, and member of highly diverse social circles that included Bohemian street people, distinguished intellectuals, Hollywood celebrities, and wealthy patrons.
