Olga Kosar

Olga Kosar, née Melnyk, age 97, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in her home on September 30, 2026. Olga was the beloved wife of the late John; loving mother of Johanna (George) Senyk, Christine (John) Garnello, John (Jean Eckstrom) Kosar and Sonia (Walter Kocur) Kosar; cherished grandmother of Kathryn (Dan Zwolinski) and Andrew Senyk, Anna (Alex) Feygin, Emilia (Nick) DeBlasio, Alexa (John) Madden, Angelina (Luke) Herrenbruck, Daniel (Justyna Koscielniak) Kosar and Maxsym Kocur; proud great grandmother of Lena, Brooklyn, Tessa, Jeremy, Willow and Remi; and a fond aunt, cousin and friend to many in Ukraine, Poland, Canada and the U.S.A.

Olga was born in Kozara, Rohatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine, on November 29, 1928; dear daughter of the late Anna, nee Chorniy, and the late Theodor Melnyk. She was an active member of CYM, UNA, Soyuz Ukrainok, Nativity BVM and St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Catholic Churches. She was a devoted member of church and Ukrainian organizational choirs, including Kalyna and SURMA.

Olga was one of the strongest women her family and friends had ever known. As a young teenager, she endured the hardships of World War II, including being taken away from her home in Ukraine, separated from her mother, and forced to work as a servant in Germany. After the war, she moved to the United States and settled in Chicago with her mother. There, Olga fell in love, married John, built a life filled with love, family, faith, music, and Ukrainian heritage. Together they laid the foundation for a family legacy that continues through their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Olga will be remembered for her strength, resilience, devotion to her family, and unwavering connection to her Ukrainian heritage. Her love and legacy will live on in the many lives she touched.

May she rest in eternal peace. Vichnaya Pamyat!

Visitation Sunday, October 11, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. (Panachyda Service 4:00 p.m.) at Cumberland Chapels 8300 W. Lawrence Ave., Norridge, IL. Funeral Services begin at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, at the funeral home, and then proceed to St. Joseph Ukrainian Catholic Church for Mass at 10:30 a.m. The interment will follow at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Cemetery. For more information, call (708) 456-8300.