John Soroka

POLAND - John Soroka, 96, passed away peacefully Monday evening, Sept. 24, 2018, at St. Elizabeth Boardman Health Center, with family by his side following a brief illness.

John was born July 7, 1922, in Youngstown, a son of the late Wasil and Paraska Szewczuk Soroka, and was a lifelong area resident.

He was a 1941 graduate of Scienceville High School in Youngstown, where he played varsity baseball. John was a proud veteran of the United States Navy, serving as a ship-fitter during World War II for nearly three years, and earning numerous military honors for his courageous service.

After his honorable discharge, John worked as a welder for Truscon Steel and then for United Excavating, retiring in 1985. He was an active member of Operating Engineers Local No. 66.

Mr. Soroka was a lifelong member of St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church in Austintown, where he volunteered weekly making pyrohy and kolachi, and he assisted at the annual parish festival.  

John’s wife of 50 years, Helen Kremin Soroka, whom he married June 20, 1948, passed away Aug. 4, 1998.

Mr. Soroka leaves five children, Mariane J. (Harry) Hopkins of Fredericksburg, Va., John E. (Victoria) Soroka of North Lima, Carol J. Soroka of Branford, Conn., Susan M. (Charles) Bosley of Concord, N.C., and Diane E. (James) Rogers of Southington; six grandchildren, Robert, Heather, Aimee, Martina, Eric, and Zachary; five great-grandchildren, Diamond, Destiny, Lucas, Ryder, and Jude; and a brother, Steve Soroka of Vienna.

Besides his wife, a grandson, Jonathan, and siblings, Peter Soroka, Theodore Soroka, and Mary Gnip, are deceased.

Family and friends may call Thursday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Kinnick Funeral Home, 477 N. Meridian Rd., Youngstown.

Family and friends may also call Friday, Sept. 28, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., at St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church, on the northeast corner of Kirk and Raccoon Roads in Austintown, where a Divine Liturgy will take place at 11:30 a.m.

Committal services with military honors will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Youngstown, where John will be laid to rest next to his wife.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Anne Ukrainian Catholic Church’s pyrohy project, in memory of Mr. Soroka.