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01/06/2025

Anne D. Nasevich

Fletcher-Nasevich Funeral Home - Funeral Home Owner

Anne D. Nasevich, a resident of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, and formerly of Philadelphia, PA, died Wednesday, November 20, 2024.  She was 97.

Born and raised in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, Anne (baptized Anne Julia at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church) was the youngest child of the late Paraskevia (nee Jarema) and Tychon Duranowsky.  She attended area schools and went to St. Basil's Academy for her freshman year before her mother brought her back home (her older sisters were already boarding there) because she missed her baby.  Anne finished her last three years and graduated from the Academy in 1944.  She and her family were members of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception; Anne sang in the church choir with her sisters and it was there that she met her future husband, Michael E. Nasevich.  Their family grew when her mother and father sponsored some of Paraskevia's nieces and nephews to join them after the end of World War II; Joseph and Mary Romanyk; Melania Romanyk (later married to Mykola Kozankywycz); Walter and Elfrida Jarema; and Eugene and Mary Jarema. 

Anne and Mike were married at the Cathedral on May 6, 1951 with a reception held at the Ukrainian Hall on Franklin Street (Mike's mother Mary purportedly got on the Ukrainian radio program and invited everyone to the reception).  

They lived in Northern Liberties and moved to Winchester Park in 1952.  In 1953, Anne attended and graduated from Eckels Mortuary School and joined her husband Mike in the family business.  In 1959 they were able to purchase the Felton mansion in Olney where they opened the doors to the Nasevich Funeral Home.  

The home was big enough to handle their growing family; Michael F., born in 1952, was joined by his sisters Kathleen A. (1954) and Marie B. (1957) and brothers Stephen P. (1961) and Joseph A. (1963) to fill all three stories of the building.  

The property hosted birthday parties on the spacious grounds, especially on the July 4th weekend to celebrate Mike's birthday on July 5th; they were close enough to witness the fireworks that were blasting away at the Olney High School football field.  

Legions of kids gathered over the years to play volleyball but mostly street hockey in the parking lot of the funeral home.  There were a few times when Anne had to lead one of the more boisterous kids home to his mother, pulling him by his ear (I told you, David Kidd, that I wouldn't mention any names).

The family worshipped together at St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church in Frankford before joining the new Annunciation BVM Ukrainian Catholic parish in 1963.  And while the funeral business kept them busy, Anne found time to take up ceramics and later the crafting of porcelain dolls.  Her dolls would line the steps inside the front of the home and were always a 'must see.'  Anne also taught ceramics with her sister Jennie and her great friend and fellow ceramic enthusiast Anne Kutlemach at the Ascension Manor in Northern Liberties for a few years.  For many years Anne, Anne K and Helene Ganter provided a ton of ceramic molds and finished products to the masses.

Anne and Mike would spend Sunday's watching the NHL on ABC; when the Flyers were granted a franchise in 1967, Mike and Michael went to the very first home game and after that game purchased a limited season ticket plan, later expanding it to full season tickets so Anne and he could enjoy the games together.  Her favorite line at a game seemed to be "down in front" (it never worked so she would get a bit louder each time).  The love of the game and the Flyers took them on trips to Montreal and Minneapolis; while at the Forum in Montreal, they happened to pass behind the Canadians bench and there they made their only appearance on TV.  They had their Flyers jerseys, their jackets and Mike had his German soccer horn to blow after each Flyers goal; their seats expanded to four when their friends, Lucy and Jerry Palatayko joined them and together they saw the Flyers win their first Stanley Cup.  

Anne and Mike enjoyed traveling; they journeyed to Quebec City for their honeymoon and a bit later to Bermuda where Anne drove her moped in a stand of bushs (no injuries other than her ego).  They journeyed to Germany for the World Cup with the Palatayko's, the Dykyj's, the Chyzowych's and the Jarmymovych's (I apologize if I missed anyone) where Anne begged, to no avail, for all of them to stop smoking.  Another trip to Germany took them to Oberammergau for the Passion Play; and they enjoyed their trips to the Caribbean.  But their favorite place to vacation was the Jersey shore; usually Wildwood Crest and sometimes Ocean City.  They'd gather the family: kids, aunts, uncles and cousins along with Anne's mom to spend time together at the beach.  It was Ukie Week before it became Ukie Week.  The holidays were another boisterous (yet still solemn) occasion; Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Babchi's, celebrating Christ's birth with traditional flavors along with Easter dinners.  Equally as enjoyable when they'd gather at Nana's for dinner, prepared by our wonderful executive chef, Antin 'Tony' Metka, our grandfather (he brought all his favorite recipes from his days as a restaurant owner and chef in Cleveland). 

Anne and Mike with their legion of friends would find ways to entertain all the kids; there was the time a ridable train was constructed with Mike and Adam Kutlemach in basement (built around the heating systems).  Surprisingly there were no derailments.  And we always dragged along with Mom and Steve Arty on their bi-weekly trips down to Noble Street to stock up on fruits, vegetables and different dead animals (all expertly trimmed by Steve Arty). 

Anne and Mike later bought a small condo in Ocean City before moving to Somers Point; they later purchased a small home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida after retiring.  They would be the proverbial snowbirds.  In Florida, their residence sat between two Ukrainian Catholic parishes: North Port and St. Petersburg. They eventually made Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in St. Petersburg their home away from home. 

Age and ailments curtailed their travels back and forth from New Jersey to Florida and recently had been residing with their daughter Kathleen.  While confined to the home they enjoyed, and looked forward to, the visits of their nieces Annette and Cecilia and cousin Sandy.  

Anne is survived by her husband of over 73 years, Mike; her five children: Mike (Kathy), Kathleen, Marie (Charles Taggart), Steve (Daria) and Joe (Emily); five grandchildren: Tasha, Michael J. (Jena), Zenia, Michael M. and Kaitlin; her nieces Melanie Franklin and Annette Bonfante (the late Gary) and their families and many cousins.  Besides her parents, Anne is predeceased by her brother Michael 'Uncle Mick' Duranowsky (the late Helen Stanchick), her sister Melanie Olesh (the late Walter) and Jennie Duranowsky as well as her two nephews Walter B. Olesh and Greg Olesh.

Her viewing will be held on Friday, November 29, 2024 from 6 PM to 8 PM at the Fletcher-Nasevich Funeral Home.  Parastas Prayers will be sung at 7 PM.  Her funeral will be held on Saturday at 9 AM at the funeral home with Panachida Prayers sung at 10 AM.  Requiem Services will be sung at 11 AM at Annunciation BVM Ukrainian Catholic Church.  Burial will follow at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery.

Mom loved flowers but if you wish to contribute instead to her memory we would suggest the Sisters of St. Basil the Great (humanitarian relief for Ukraine) or World Central Kitchern (Ukraine).

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