Alexandra Lebidko Billy

It is with deep sorrow we share the news of the passing on November 28, 2016, of our beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Alexandra Marfa Lebidko Billy, at her home. Alexandra was born on August 7, 1925 to Denys and Tetiana Lebidko in the village of Mashivka, Poltava Oblast, in eastern Ukraine. She grew up on a farm without electricity, until she was twelve years old, with her parents and three siblings. She survived the artificial Famine of 1932 - 1933 (Holodomor), created by Joseph Stalin, but lost many extended family members and close friends to the genocide. At age seventeen, she was taken from her family to Germany as a forced laborer and worked at a German train repair factory with other forced laborers under difficult conditions. After World War II ended, she met her husband, Wolodymyr Billy in Karsfeld, Germany, at a displaced persons camp. She immigrated to the United States in 1949 with her husband and son Yaroslav, while five months pregnant. In the United States, Alexandra lived in New York City, moving to North Massapequa, New York, before retiring to Citrus Springs, Florida. She moved to Somerset, to be closer to her daughter after her husband sustained a head injury and she was unable to care for him by herself. In New York City, Alexandra cleaned office buildings at night to help provide for her family. While living in North Massapequa, she worked at Fairchild Republic Company, and later was a housekeeper and cook for several different families. She and her husband were active members of many Ukrainian organizations, including their church, ODFFU, UCCA, Plast Priyat and dance group that her children were members of. Her special talent was making varenyky with a unique braided edge and she was frequently called upon to make them for the church bazaars or other Ukrainian functions. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren especially looked forward to Baba Lesia’s varenyky. She also sent care packages of clothing and food to her and her husband’s families in Ukraine for many years, up to the time just before her passing. Alexandra will be remembered as a kind, generous woman who loved her family and friends and was always optimistic in spite of her hardships. She was predeceased by her husband, Wolodymyr Billy, and her siblings, Lida Artych, Michaylo Lebidko and Mykola Lebidko. Left in mourning are her daughter, Nina Wedmid and husband Yuri of Bridgewater; her son, Yaroslav Billy and wife Oksana of Minnetonka, Minnesota; her grandchildren, Drs. Alexei and Myra Wedmid of Princeton, Anatole and Rebecca Wedmid of Maplewood, Tania and Yura Pylyp of Boston, Massachusetts, Volodymyr, Myroslav, and Bohdan Billy of Minnetonka; her niece, Svitlana Prokopiuk and husband John of St. Anthony, Minnesota, six great-grandchildren in Massachusetts and New Jersey, as well as nieces, nephews, and extended family in Ukraine. Funeral services will be 10:00 A.M. Saturday, December 10, at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Memorial Chapel, 280 Main Street, South Bound Brook. Interment will be at St. Andrew Cemetery. Visitation will be 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. Friday, at the funeral home, with a Panachyda Service at 7:00 P.M. Memorial contributions may be made to The Ukrainian Historical and Educational Center of New Jersey , 130 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, New Jersey 08873. Vichnaya Pamyat! May her memory be eternal!