Hieromonk Basil was born on June 6, 1955, in Campeche, Mexico, to José Santos and Zoila Castillo. He was tonsured a monk on October 15, 2011, ordained to the diaconate on June 3, 2012, and ordained to the holy priesthood on September 30, 2018, by His Eminence Archbishop Alejo. He was then assigned to Holy Trinity Parish, where he served alongside Archpriest José Luis Serna Estrada, faithfully ministering to the parish community until the day of his repose.
Additional information will be posted as it is received.
May Father Basil’s memory be eternal!
]]>Matushka Louise was born on September 17, 1933, to the late Lula Zenetta Livingston Dukes and the late John Smoak Dukes. One of 3 children born to John and Lula, Louise grew up in rural Neese, SC, she attended Springfield High School before attending nursing school. She was a nurse for 60 years, retiring in 2014. She married Richard “Myron” Hill in 1956. Father Myron was a mission priest all throughout the Southeast, and Matushka worked at many hospitals spanning across the areas he ministered in. They raised 4 children and helped found several Orthodox churches over the years. Matushka Louise was a longtime member of Holy Apostles Orthodox Church in Columbia, SC, having returned to South Carolina in the 1980’s. Her sons Richard and John pre-deceased her, John in 1979, and Richard in 1988, as well as her brother John Smoak Dukes, Jr. several years later.
Matushka is survived by her daughters Frances (Mark) Shorten and Norma Farman, her sister Nancy Dukes Herbert, a plethora of grandchildren: Shannon Duck, Richard Hill, III, John Hill, Natasha Weir, Roger Morin, Victoria Morin, and Albert Farman, great grandchildren: Robert Duck, Shelby Hill, Gabriel Castrillon, Austin Hill, Bentley Farman, Brooke Farman, Whaley Weir, Emmitt Weir, Caleb Bailey, Wyatt Perez, and Zachariah Morin, great great granddaughter, Lilith Rose Duck, daughter-in-law, Robin, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Matushka Louise lived her life in service to others, bringing light and love to many.
The Panakhida will be held at 6:00 PM on Friday, July 24, 2026, at Saints Mary and Martha Monastery, 65 Spinner Lane, Wagener, SC. The Funeral Service will be 10:00 AM on Saturday, July 25, 2026, also at Saints Mary and Martha Monastery. Burial will follow in monastery.
May Matushka Louise’s memory be eternal!
]]>Born on December 22, 1960 in DuBois, PA, he was the son of Ronald E. and Katherine A. (Smith) Meholick. His father preceded him in death and his mother survives and lives in Sykesville.
On October 7, 1990, he married his wife of 35 years, Kira (Lukashevich) Meholick.
Deacon Christopher was a 1979 graduate of DuBois Central Christian High School.
He retired as a well-known technician from Comcast after many years of service.
Deacon Christopher was attached to Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in DuBois, PA. He was a well-known and well-loved entertainer and musician in the DuBois area. Deacon Christopher especially loved being a band member in the Onion Station.
In addition to his wife, Matushka Kira, and mother, Katherine, Deacon Christopher is survived by two children, Marina Meholick of Reynoldsville, PA, and Nicholas Meholick and his wife Sierra of Indiana, PA; siblings, Father Mark Meholick, John Meholick, and Catherine Stewart and her husband Thomas, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and Godchildren, whom he loved very much.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 29, 2026 from 2:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM from Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, 301 South State Street, DuBois, PA. A Panikhida will be held on Monday evening at 7:30 PM to conclude the visitation. The Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 10:00 AM at Saint Nicholas Church with numerous clergy of the Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania officiating.
Burial will follow in Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Cemetery in Sykesville, PA.
Memorial donations can be made to St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, C/O St. Nicholas Rectory, 102 North 3rd St., DuBois, PA 15801.
May Deacon Christopher’s memory be eternal!
]]>Father Alexis was born in Paris, France, on March 31, 1947, to a Russian mother and a Ukrainian Father. At the age of 4, his parents immigrated to the US, first to San Francisco, CA and then to Berkeley, CA. After graduating from high school in 1964, he went on to study at the University of California-Berkeley receiving a degree in Sociology in 1968. He then studied taught Russian at the US Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. He graduated from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1978.
He was ordained at Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, CA, in 1979, and was assigned as a priest in Santa Rosa, CA. In 1980, Father Alexis was assigned to Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral in Los Angeles, CA, where he served for the next 15 years. From 1995 on, he served parishes in Desloge, MO; Wheaton, IL; and San Diego, CA. Eventually, he was tonsured as a priest-monk in Manton, CA, at Saint John of Shanghai Orthodox Monastery. In 2019, he moved back to the Chicago area to be closer to family and to receive much needed medical care.
Father Alexis was widely read. He loved history, literature, and poetry. He was an accomplished pianist. He spoke Russian, Ukrainian, French, and English fluently. He was an excellent translator and worked for many years with Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Press, translating works from Russian into English. He assisted the OCA’s Department of History and Archives on many projects. His most famous work was the 2014 monumental 2 Volume translation from Russian into English of “My Life’s Journey: The Memoirs of Metropolitan Evlogy” (SVS Press). This was the fruit of many years of work. At the time of his death, Father Alexis was working on translating into English the diary of His Beatitude Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich).
Father Alexis was humble, gentle, soft spoken, and loved the liturgical cycle of the Church, serving all the services up until the last week of his death with the Archpriest Paul Jannakos at Saint Luke Orthodox Church in Palos Hill, IL.
He is survived by his family, two sons Daniel and Timothy, a daughter-in-law Remy, grandchildren Christian, Isabella, and Sofia.
Funeral services for Father Alexis will be held at Saint Luke Church, Palos Hill, IL.
Thursday, June 18
6:00 PM Funeral for a Monastic
Friday, June 19
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
May Father Alexis’ memory be eternal!
]]>She was born in Bucharest, Romania, on November 27, 1977, to her loving parents, Dan and Aurica Calancea Fornade. In the early 1980s, her family relocated to Montreal, Canada, where Teodora was raised. Following high school, she attended McGill University in Montreal, earning her bachelor’s degree and laying the foundation for a highly successful career in marketing. Preoteasa Teodora began her professional journey at Added Value in California. Through determination, intellect, and hard work, she rose through the ranks to proudly became the company’s Executive Vice President. She dedicated 20 impactful years to her career before the company merged in 2020. In 2007, while visiting her family in Canada for Easter, Preoteasa Teodora met her best friend and forever companion, Stefan. They were happily married on May 18, 2008, and were blessed with 18 amazing years of marriage and three precious children. Above all, Preoteasa Teodora was fiercely dedicated to her family and her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
She served gracefully alongside her husband, Father Stefan, as the beloved Preoteasa of Saint Anne Romanian Orthodox Church. Preoteasa Teodora deeply cherished her faith and the vibrant community it brought into her life. A natural leader, she dedicated countless hours to guiding the church youth, teaching Sunday School, and actively supporting the traditional dance groups. Preoteasa Teodora lived life with an innate sense of elegance. Known for her impeccable sense of fashion, she took great pride in her appearance and was always beautifully put together. She possessed a rare combination of sharp intelligence, outer beauty, and an luminous inner grace. She loved traveling the world with her husband and family, creating beautiful memories at every stop. Preoteasa Teodora was truly a treasure and will be deeply missed by all who knew her. She leaves behind a legacy of profound love—for her husband and children, her extended family, her devoted church community, and her Lord.
Preoteasa Teodora is survived by her loving husband of 18 years, Father Stefan; precious children, Eva, Sofia, and Joachim; parents, Dan and Aurica Fornade of Quebec, Canada; parents-in-law, Archpriest Nicolae and Preoteasa Rodica Eliza Stoleru of Quebec, Canada; several brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins in the United States, Canada, and Romania, along with many extended family members and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her sister, Mihaela Fornade and grandparents, Teodor and Parastie Fornade.
Preoteasa Teodora’s family will receive guests and friends on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at St. Anne Romanian Orthodox Church, 1875 Live Oak Drive Jacksonville, FL 32246, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM with a Priveghi (Panikhida) beginning at 6:00 PM. Following the Priveghi, everyone is invited to the Mica Masa de Pomenire (Small Merciful Meal). The Funeral Service will be held on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Saint Anne Church with His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel and His Grace Bishop Andrei, along with several clergy from all over the country, officiating. Interment will follow at Beaches Memorial Park, 1500 Main Street Atlantic Beach, FL 32233, at 12:30 PM. Everyone is invited to Masa de Pomana (Merciful Meal) at the church.
May Preoteasa Teodora’s memory be eternal!
]]>Her devotion to the Seminary was exemplified in small ways every day — whether it was multiple trips a week to Costco to save the Seminary money on groceries, cleaning areas as if they were her own home, or quietly making sure every student, guest, and visiting clergyman left the Seminary’s table well fed. She never hesitated to help, and she watched over the community with fierce devotion, care, and love.
In grateful recognition of many years of dedicated service to the ministry of theological education at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and with gratitude for their untiring commitment to the life and mission of the Orthodox Church in America, Barbara and Dave received the Gramota from the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on March 17, 2004.
Guided always by her deep faith, Barbara loved God, the Church, and her family. She cherished every moment with her husband Dave, her children, and her grandchildren. She was so proud of the many “olive shoots around their table,” and she thanked God for the blessing of seeing all her children’s children.
Together, she and Dave treasured their small extended family in Queens, Pennsylvania, and Virginia Beach, and over the years their hearts embraced a wider one — the countless classmates, students, professors, staff and their families who studied and worked at the Seminary, and who are a second family to them and their children.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 63 years, David Drillock; her son Gregory (Laurie); her daughter Pani Daria Loposky (Fr. Stephen); her daughter Kyra Kirtyan (Steve); and her son Andrew (Victoria). She also leaves behind 16 grandchildren: Gregory, Jack, Samuel, Ryan, Joshua, Lauren, Stephen, Nicholas, Megan, Anna, Erin, Preston, Alexander, Carter, Lincoln, and Savannah. She was preceded in death by her parents, her granddaughter Kathryn, and her brother-in-law Serge.
Visitation will be held at Three Hierarchs Chapel at St. Vladimir’s Seminary (575 Scarsdale Rd., Crestwood, NY 10707) on Friday, June 12 from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM, followed by the Funeral Service at 7:00 PM. The Memorial Divine Liturgy followed by Panikhida will be at Three Hierarchs Chapel on Saturday, June 13 at 9:00 AM. Interment will be at St. Tikhon’s Cemetery in South Canaan, PA at approximately 3:30 PM.
On Friday, at 6:00 PM, there will be a choir rehearsal for the funeral. Clergy who wish to concelebrate the Funeral or the Divine Liturgy should contact Archpriest Alexander Rentel (arentel@svots.edu; 914-355-1470).
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Barbara’s memory to St. Vladimir’s Seminary.
May Barbara’s memory be eternal!
]]>Additional information will be posted as it is received.
May Protodeacon John’s memory be eternal!
]]>Born in Carbondale and raised in Simpson, PA., he was the son of the late Joseph J. and Olga Herbert Gallick. Father Joseph was a graduate of Fell High School, Simpson, Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, PA, and received his Bachelor’s degree from Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
He was ordained into the holy priesthood in 1970 at Saint Tikhon’s of Zadonsk Monastery Church by Archbishop Kiprian. Father Joseph served in the armed forces as a United States Army military chaplain, including a tour in Afghanistan, 2004-2005. He retired from active duty as a decorated Lieutenant Colonel, and continued his legacy of service to others and his country as a Chaplain for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Father Joe was National Chaplain of the VFW in 2020. Father Joseph served the Annunciation Albanian Orthodox Church, Natick, MA, 1997-2021. He also served as the Assistant Dean and Deputy Director of the OCA’s Office of Military Chaplains.
FatherJoe, or Padre, as he was lovingly called by family and friends, had a deep love for the Lord and an immeasurable pride for his country. He spent his life in service to others and provided a grounded perspective to anyone seeking guidance. He was an avid reader and collector.
Father Joe was a quiet source of comfort to his family and friends, and his soft-spoken nature and nurturing presence will be deeply missed.
In addition to his wife, Father Joseph is survived by his son, Timothy, daughter, Kira Wishart (Lenny) and three granddaughters, Kylie, Lauren, and Sophia.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Nicholas.
The Funeral Service for a priest will be held on Wednesday, April 15, at 11:30 AM in Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery Church, 175 Saint Tikhon’s Road, South Canaan, PA, followed by internment with military honors. Family and friends may visit at the church from 10:30 AM until the service.
May Father Joseph’s memory be eternal!
]]>Father John is survived by his wife Barbara Ealy (née Soroka), sister Kathleen Donmoyer, children Dr. Nicholas Ealy, Taisia Ealy, and Fatherr Gregory Ealy (Miho), four much-loved granddaughters Hannah Mills, Emma Mills, Nino Ealy, and Mila Ealy, and many nephews, nieces and cousins.
Born Watson Karl Ealy on May 1, 1935 in Lebanon, PA to Watson Edward Ealy and Catherine Ealy (née Magyar), Father John grew up at Saint Gertrude’s Roman Catholic Church, where he served as an altar boy and attended parochial school. Since his elementary school days, he was always attracted to the Orthodox Church.
Father John graduated from Lebanon Catholic High School in 1953 and, after working at a factory that summer, decided to enroll in college. He applied and was accepted to Millersville State Teacher’s College (now Millersville University) in Millersville, PA. In 1961, he received his master’s degree in science education from Western Maryland University and went on to teach for 35 years at private and public schools in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida.
In 1963 Father John enrolled in Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. In his fourth year at seminary, Fathers John Meyendorff and Alexander Schememann from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary were invited to lecture. Their lectures were very well received by the students, and Father John left for the Orthodox Church along with some of the other students. After taking a teaching job near Harrisburg, PA, he met Barbara Soroka, the love of his life, while singing in the choir at Christ the Savior Orthodox Church. They married in August 1971 and immediately moved to Crestwood, NY where Father John studied at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary.
After completing Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, the Ealys moved in 1973 to Ft. Lauderdale, FL where Father John served at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church. Two years later in 1975, Father John was reassigned to a small mission near Orlando. He would serve at Saint Stephen’s for the next 27 years as rector. At the time of the Ealys’ move to Central Florida, Saint Stephen’s was a small mission and could not pay Father John a living wage, so he took a teaching job at Saint Peter’s Catholic School in DeLand, FL. While Father John served a Saint Stephen’s, the parish grew, and became a well-established church in the Diocese of the South. Starting with only twelve people in 1975, parish membership grew to well over 150 by the time he retired.
Father John’s ministry can be summed up with the word love. He loved the Orthodox Church, the Divine Liturgy and liturgical services, and its people. He spent countless hours meeting with parishioners, teaching, traveling and visiting missions and churches throughout the Central Florida Deanery as its dean, holding Divine Liturgies and Presanctified Liturgies in homes and churches, and running summer church school programs and summer camps. He was instrumental in establishing Saint Justin the Martyr Church in Jacksonville, FL.
After retiring in 2002, Father John continued to serve as a supply priest throughout the diocese, filling in at missions and parishes in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. But, in retirement, he also found much time for reading, gardening, cooking and baking, writing his memoir, spending time with his growing family, and traveling. He took pride in his Hungarian cultural roots, and his love for all things Hungarian – especially its cuisine – was a constant in his life. He was overjoyed to have visited Hungary twice during his retirement.
The number of lives Father John has touched throughout his life, both as a pastor and a teacher, is incalculable. From his early years as a schoolteacher until his retirement—and even during illness—Father John never stopped teaching. He firmly believed and taught that our encounter with the Word of God takes place at the liturgical gathering, as we partake of the Eucharist with our brothers and sisters.
Funeral Services will be held at St Stephen the Protomartyr Orthodox Church, 1895 Lake Emma Road, Longwood, FL 32750.
Wednesday, March 11
Visitation: 4:30-6:30 PM
Presanctified Liturgy: 6:30 PM
Panikhida following Presanctified
Thursday, March 12
Funeral for a Priest: 9:30 AM
Mercy meal to follow
Burial: 3:30 PM
Burial will be at Saint Justin the Martyr, 2460 Old St Augustine Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32258
May Father John’s memory be eternal!
]]>Born Konstantin Yefimov in Russia in 1946, Father Kyril immigrated to the United States in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1997, he came to Saint Tikhon’s Monastery and was tonsured to the Small Schema by His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman in 2003.
For many years, Father Kyril labored as a groundskeeper and cared for the monastery’s bees. He fought several battles with cancer over the years and reposed following a recurrence of kidney cancer.
The funeral service for Father Kyril will be held at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery on Thursday, March 5, at 11:00 AM.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Father Kyril may be made to Saint Tikhon’s Monastery to assist with funeral expenses.
May Father Kyril’s memory be eternal!
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