Dr. Joanna Ratych, Educator, Author, Ukrainian Women's League Leader, Support of Education and Ukrainian Museum, 1926-2016

Edison, NJ – Dr. Joanna (Ivanka) Ratych nee-Mirtschuk peacefully passed on the evening of September 5th at the age of 90; she is survived by brother-in-law Rostyslaw Ratycz and wife Helen and their children: Nadia, Roman with wife Olesia and children Mykola and Anya, Christina, Natalia Czernyk with husband Ihor and children Julianna, Katherine and John; and niece Daria and nephew Jaroslaw, and extended family in the U.S., Canada and the Ukraine. She was predeceased by her loving husband Oleh and daughter Juliana.

Joanna Ratych was born June 12, 1926 in Vienna, Austria, grew up and was educated in Berlin until 1945, when they left for Bayreuth, Germany where she was an English and German teacher in the displaced persons camp "Gymnasia". She later continued her education at the Ludvig-Maximilian University in Munich, Germany, where she completed her doctorate degree.

She married Oleh Ratych and then the moved to the United States. In 1959, they were blessed with their daughter, Juliana, who they lost in a tragic automobile accident overseas in 1986.

Dr. Joanna Ratych was a university professor of German language and literature at Rutgers University where she was among the first tenured women professors and became the Director of the Department of German studies. She authored a series of books, publications, essays and articles and was recognized with numerous accreditations including "Certificate of Merit" (Goethe Institute), "Lindback Award" (Rutgers University), "Friendship Award" (Federal Republick of Germany).

In her community, she was active in the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, serving on the board and Audit Committee; a generous supporter as well as a sponsor of the Ukrainian Museum in New York and the Ukrainian Free University in Munich, Germany and participated in the choir at church in New Brunswick, NJ and North Port, FL.

Visitation will be on Thursday, September 8, 2016 from 2-4 pm and 7-9 pm

Panakhyda at 7:30pm at the Flynn and Son/Koyen Funeral Home, 319 Amboy Ave. Metuchen, NJ 08840

Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, September 9, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. from the Flynn and Son/Koyen Funeral Home, followed by a 10:30 a.m. Service of Divine Liturgy at The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 80 Livingston Ave. New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Interment will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, New Brunswick.

Memorial contributions may be made to Dr. Joanna's dear causes;

UNWLA "Our Life" / Press Fund http://www.unwla.org/Forms/Contribution%20Form%202-29-12.pdf

The Ukrainian Museum (http://www.ukrainianmuseum.org/donationform.html)

The Juliana Ratych Memorial Scholarship
Department of Donor Relations
7 College Ave., Winants Hall
New Brunswick, Nj 08901-1261
848-932-7737
Donorsupport@winants.rutgers.edu