September 7, 1882 Kitsman, Bukovina, Austria to December 21, 1968 Edmonton
Mike Pihulyk was born Dimitriu Pihuliak on September 7, 1882 in Kitsman, Bukovina to Eftemiu Pihuliak and Anastasia Moroz. Mike went by, or was referred to, different names including Metro, Dimetro, Mike and Michael.
There is a strong possibility that Mike's family knew the Holenchuk family as they were both from the Kitsman area in Bukovina. However, Mike was almost 10 years older than Dora and immigrated to Canada by himself when he was 19 years old. There is confusion as to exactly when and where Mike and Dora were married, as explained below.
Mike died on December 21, 1968 at the St. Joseph Hospital in Edmonton from "Organic Brain Syndrome", or in other words, dementia. Mike was buried on December 23, 1968 at the Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton
Mike Pihulyk - date unknown
Dimitriu Pihuliak (Mike Pihulyk) birth September 7, 1882 Kitsman, Bukovina, Austria
Mike Pihulyk death registration December 21, 1968
Mike Pihulyk headstone - Beechmount Cemetery, Edmonton
Mike Pihulyk obituary December 21, 1968 Edmonton Journal
June 12, 1892 Kitsman, Bukovina to July 15, 1966 Edmonton
Dora Holenchuk was born Domna Holenschi on June 12, 1892 in Kitsman, Bukovina to Grigoriu Holenchuk (Holenschi) and Elena Cojocar.
Dora immigrated to Canada by herself at the age of 18. She was a tiny woman, as a document shows her height as 4'11" so to travel that far at that time by herself was quite the brave challenge.
Dora died on July 15, 1966 in the Edmonton General Hospital from congestive heart failure in Edmonton. She was buried on July 18, 1966 at the Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton.
Dora Pihulyk - date unknown
Domna Holenschi (Dora Holenchuk) birth June 12, 1892 Kitsman, Bukovina, Austria
Dora Pihulyk death registration July 15, 1966 Edmonton
Dora Pihulyk headstone - Beechmount Cemetery, Edmonton
Dora Pihulyk obituary July 16, 1966 Edmonton Journal
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Canada launched a campaign to entice the people of Galicia and Bukovina to immigrate to Western Canada. They offered transportation from Montreal or Halifax to the west. They were also offered land, cattle and some tools to help settle the territory.
Mike immigrated to Canada in May1907. His name can't be found on a ship passenger list so it isn't verified. At the time of immigration to Canada or the US, names were often "anglicized" from their native tongue. However, there is a record in July 1907 of an attempt to cross from Canada into the US by a Mitro Piuhlak that appears to be him as it lists his father as Iftemie Piuhlak and that he arrived in Canada in May 1907.
There isn't any verifiable data of what Mike did, or where he lived from the time he landed in Canada to when he married. It's possible that he spent time in the Gonor, Manitoba area where his older brother George immigrated to in 1903.
Dora set sail by herself on November 8, 1911 from Antwerp, Belgium on the ship Montrose, arriving in Montreal, Quebec on November 20, 1911. The passenger manifest stated she was going to her brother (not named) in Strathcona, Alberta. She had a brother, George, who immigrated to Canada in about 1906 but he resided in Manitoba.
Mitro Piuhlak (Mike Pihulyk) attempted Canada to US border crossing Jul, 1907
Dora Holenchuk Inspection Card November 20, 1911 (Photo from Ancestry.ca provided by Marshall Pihulyk)
Passenger list for Domna Holenczuk (Dora Holenschi) on the ship Montrose. Arrived in Montreal, Canada on November 20, 1911
According to a marriage license found on Ancestry.CA, Mike and Dora were to have been married on November 14, 1911 in Edmonton. In researching this event, a couple of issues arose with this timing. According to immigration records, Dora didn't arrive in Canada until November 20, 1911, 6 days after the supposed marriage date. Email correspondence in 2022 with the Manager of Government Records with the Provincial Archives of Alberta, found no record of the marriage of the license being registered, even though it is a valid license number.
Wherever and whenever Mike and Dora married, they had 13 children over a 22 year period. The 8 boys and 5 girls are below. Of the 8 boys, only Steve married and had children.
Mike Pihulyk and Dora Holenchuk Alberta marriage license November 14, 1911 (photo supplied by Marshall Pihulyk)
AUNT
March 20, 1913 Daysland, Alberta to September 5, 1956 Hinton, Alberta
Helen was the first of 13 children born to Mike and Dora Pihulyk, born March 20, 1913 in Daysland, Alberta. She married Hubert Schnur (October 28, 1904 - December 10, 1971) on November 16, 1935 in Edmonton. They had 4 children:
Rosemary: Rosemary married Frank Strandlund
Frank (1939 to 2007): Frank married Lucien Dussault
Wilhelmina (1941-1997): Wilhelmina married a man by the last name of Reich, first name unknown. They had 2 sons
Gerry: no information found on Gerry
Helen passed away at the age of 43 on September 5, 1956 in Hinton. She is buried beside her mother in the Beechmont Cemetery.
Photo sourced from the book "History of Hinton" page 264
Helen Anne Pihulyk - date unknown
Helen Pihulyk Schnur death registration September 4, 1956
Helen Schnurr headstone
Helen Schnurr obituary September 6, 1956 Edmonton Journal
AUNT
March 20, 1914 Beverly, Alberta to January 28, 1971 Edmonton
Mary was born on March 2, 1914 in Beverly. Mary married George Sharpe (1899 Durham, England - July 5, 1959 Edmonton) on September 9, 1946 in Edmonton. They had 1 daughter:
Isobel: no information found
Mary suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis, She died on January 28, 1971 in Edmonton and is buried in the Beechmont Cemetery.
George and Mary Sharpe - date unknown
Mary Pihulyk Sharpe death registration January 28, 1971
Mary Sharpe headstone Beechmont Cemetery
Mary Pihulyk Sharpe obituary January 30, 1961 Edmonton Journal
AUNT
1916 Beverly, Alberta to July 18, 1983 Edmonton
A record of Alice's exact date of birth has not been found, but it was sometime in 1916. Alice married Angus (Andy) Watson (April 28, 1913, Dundee, Scotland to March 16, 1990 Edmonton). They had 3 children:
Jane (1941-2021): Married Alexander Opalinski on December 26, 1964 in Edmonton. 2 children: Mark and Barbra
June (unknown): Married James Hill. One son Andrew
Dennis (1944 - May 7, 1953): Died at the age of 9
Alice died on July 18, 1983 in Edmonton. She was buried on July 22, 1983 at the Beechmont Cemetery.
Alice Watson headstone Beechmont Cemetery
Alice Pihulyk Watson obituary July 20, 1983 Edmonton Journal
UNCLE
November 13, 1919 Beverly to October 16, 1997 Edmonton
The first of 8 boys, George was born on November 13, 1919 in Beverly. He never married.
George died on October 16,1997 in Edmonton and was buried in the Northern Lights Cemetery in Edmonton.
George Pihulyk - date unknown
George Pihulyk headstone Northern Lights Cemetery, Edmonton
George Pihulyk obituary November 17, 1997 Edmonton Journal
UNCLE
November 11, 1922 Beverly to June 14, 1977 Edmonton
Michael was born on November 11, 1922 in Beverly. He never married.
George died on June 14, 1977 in Edmonton and was buried in the Beechmont Cemetery in Edmonton.
Mike Pihulyk - date unknown
Mike Pihulyk headstone Beechmont Cemetery
Mike Pihulyk obituary June 16, 1977 Edmonton Journal
UNCLE
November 12, 1924 Gonor, Manitoba to June 24, 1994 Edmonton
John was born on November 12, 1924 in Gonor, Manitoba where his uncle George lived. He never married.
George died on June 24, 1994 in Edmonton and was buried in the Northern Lights Cemetery in Edmonton.
John Pihulyk - date unknown
John Pihulyk headstone - Northern Lights Cemetery
John Pihulyk obituary June 26, 1994 Edmonton Journal
UNCLE
February 2, 1926 Beverly to September 2, 1962 Vancouver, BC
Bill was born on February 2, 1926 in Beverly. He never married.
Bill died in a traffic accident in downtown Vancouver on September 2, 1952. He was buried in the Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton.
William (Bill) Pihulyk - date unknown
Bill Pihulyk - Traffic accident newspaper article
Bill Pihulyk death registration
Bill Pihulyk headstone - Beechmont Cemetery
Bill Pihulyk obituary September 6, 1952 Edmonton Journal
UNCLE
December 25, 1927 Beverly to September 21, 1992 Edmonton
Peter was born on December 25, 1927 in Beverly. Not much information has been found for him. He never married.
Peter died in Edmonton on September 21, 1992. He was buried in the Beechmont Cemetery in Edmonton.
Peter Pihulyk - date unknown
Peter Pihulyk headstone - Beechmont Cemetery
UNCLE
March 2, 1930 Beverly - (Living)
Alexander was born on March 2, 1930 in Beverly. Not much information has been found for him. On January 24, 1953, in Victoria, BC, he legally changed his name from Alexander Pihulyk to Alexander Sandy Murray.
As of April 2025, Sandy is alive.
Alexander Pihulyk - date unknown
Alexander Pihulyk name change to Alexander Sandy Murray
UNCLE
August 26, 1932 Beverly to May 7, 2024 Edmonton
Edward (Eddie) was born on August 26, 1932 in Beverly. Not much information has been found for him other than he and Katie shared a love of budgie birds!
Eddie died on May 7, 2024 in Edmonton. He was buried on May 13, 2025 in the Northern Lights Cemetery.
Edward Pihulyk - date unknown
Edward Pihylyk online obituary
AUNT
May 10, 1934 Beverly to June 30, 2019 Edmonton
Doris was born on May 10, 1934 in Beverly. She married Alexander Peredery (February 9, 1936 Edmonton - April 27, 2015) on April 6, 1957 in Edmonton. They had 4 children:
Darlene:
Sandra Gale (1962-2020):
Alexander:
Rod:
Doris died on June 30, 2019 in Edmonton. She was buried on July 4, 2019 in the South Haven Cemetery in Edmonton.
Doris Pihulyk - date unknown
Doris Peredery obituary July 4, 2019 Edmonton Journal
Doris Peredery headstone - South Haven Cemetery
UNCLE
about 1935 (Living)
Steve was born in about 1935 in Holborn where his family had moved to in 1934. Steve married Audrey Thiessen on July 11, 1962 in Edmonton. They had 3 children:
Marshall:
Mona:
Jared:
As of April 2025 Steve and Audrey were living in Edmonton.
Steve Pihulyk - date unknown
Photo Acknowledgement
The majority of personal photographs on this page were sourced from Marshall Pihulyk's family tree on Ancestry.ca