Katrina Anderson

Services are held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLHP) Byzantine Catholic church on May 1, 2019, for Katrina Anderson who lived out her days in the gracious care of the South Valley Care Center in Albuquerque, NM and where she died peacefully on Wednesday morning, April 24, with her family by her side. She was admired and looked up to by all who knew and loved her for her strength and determination and had a passion for flowers, birds, gardens and her church (OLHP). Katrina was the daughter of the late Elizabeth Kmit and Wasyl Kosovan. She was born March 23, 1924, in Bukovina, Ukraine and migrated to the United States with her husband Sidor Kopczuk, and four children, Alexandria, Wasyl, Petro and Elizabeth, in 1950 to avoid living in the Soviet Union.  The incredible and frightening story of this family to migrate to Washington, NJ in the United States from the Ukraine, that took almost six years to complete, is one of danger, fear, bravery and idealism in search of freedom, safety and security.  She became an employee of the American Can Company for over 20 years, where she successfully purchased her own home, raised her children, gardened and enjoyed living on her small farm. She lived in Washington, NJ until 1985 when she moved to Rio Rancho, NM, with her mother Elizabeth Kmit, and eventually to another farm in Torreon, NM.  She is preceded in death by her son, Wasyl Kopczuk of Torreon, NM, a Sister Maria Kosovon and first husband Ivon Pitilyak who both died in the Second World War, second husband Sidor Kopczuk of Austria, and third husband Howard Anderson from Rio Rancho, NM. She is survived by her four children, Alexandria Dale of Tamarac, Florida, Peter Kopczuk and wife Stana of Torreon, NM, Elizabeth Adams of Hawley, PA, and Victor Kopczuk of Mount Bethel, PA;  12 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandchildren.  Internment will take place at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Rite Catholic Church on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, rosary at 9:00 AM followed by a mass at 10:00 AM.  The family requests memorial contributions be made to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Byzantine Rite Catholic Church Building Fund, 1837 Alvarado Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110