Bohdan T Guran

It is with deep sadness that the family of Bohdan Guran announces his passing on July 31, 2020 at the age of 85. Bohdan, beloved father, grandfather, husband, and uncle was welcomed into the arms of our Lord after enduring a stroke over a week ago. He passed away at The Springs community in North Port, FL which was his residence since February.

Bohdan was born in the village of Blaziv, south of the city Sambir, Ukraine in 1934. Following World War II, his family immigrated to America in 1947 and settled in Rochester, New York, after receiving papers from Paul Vilchynsky, a family member who came to America in the early 1900’s. With the influx of Ukrainian immigrants coming to Rochester, Bohdan and his family thrived in the growing Ukrainian community there. Shortly after graduating high school, he spent 2 years in the US Army which he believed every young man should spend at least 2 years in the Armed Forces as it “molds characters, teaches them responsibility, teaches them how to manage people, and how to take orders.” It also gave him the opportunity to visit several countries. After he took his discharge from the Army in Germany, he traveled for four months through Europe on a motorcycle with a side car and a friend.

Returning to Rochester, he was thrilled that his high school love Tamara Yanchuk, was still single, and they were happily married on June 24, 1961. He was hired by Eastman Kodak Company to work in the Chemical Analytical Laboratory. Two years later he entered a PhD program at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, and there they began raising a family. In August 1966 he received is PhD certification and moved back to Rochester after he accepted the job offer from Eastman Kodak as an Analytical Chemist. In 1984 he became the Director of Production Testing and Appraisal, Photographic Quality Services Division. During that time they raised 3 children and were involved members of the Ukrainian community. Bohdan was active in Plast Ukrainian Scouting, lead the Rochester chapter a few years; he even organized the first ever Plast/Cym camp in North Collins, NY. Because of his years life guarding and love of the sea, he became a member of Plast Chornomortsi sea scouting group. He was an activist in the 1970’s for Freedom of Valentyn Moroz, active with Chernobyl Relief Foundation, and so many more philanthropic causes. Mirko Pylyshenko, his lifelong friend, and his brother Zenon, bought 30 acres of land with a 3 acre rock quarry outside of Rochester in Albion, where they spent many joyful summers camping with family and friends. Zenon and Bohdan also purchased a 160 acre farm with two houses, a large barn, and 90 acres of orchards a few miles from the lake in Albion. So many wonderful memories were created at both destinations over the years. In his late 40’s, Bohdan, with his brother Zenon, decided to go into the hotel business while still working at Kodak, and purchased their first hotel in Lakeland, FL. In 1990 they purchased the Best Western Golden Host Resort, and Tamara and Bohdan moved to FL, after he took an early retirement from Kodak. A few years later, they built the Best Western in Venice, FL. He was very proud of his hotel entrepreneurships. After being diagnosed with a rare cancer, his beloved Tamara passed away in 2001. With a thriving Ukrainian community in Venice and North Port, friends introduced him to Roma Harasymiak, who lost her husband to cancer two months before Tamara died. Their relationship flourished and they were married on December 19, 2009.

Bohdan is survived by his brother, wife, two sons, daughter, grandson, and two stepsons: Zenon with wife Josie Guran of Venice, Florida; Roma Guran of Venice, Florida and stepsons Andrei Harasymiak of New York, NY and Denys Harasymiak of Hamilton, Ontario; son Levko Guran of Sarasota, Florida and grandson Stephan Guran of Las Vegas, NV; son Boyan Guran of Sarasota, Florida; and daughter Olesia Guran with husband Victor Cymbal of Kerhonkson, New York. He will be lovingly remembered not only by his immediate family but also by his surviving sister-in-law, Linda Guran, as well as his many nieces and nephews and their families. Bohdan is preceded in death by his parents Maria and Ivan, sister Olia Pavlychyn, brother Myroshko and first wife Tamara.

A private viewing and memorial service followed by a funeral mass will be held at Farley Funeral Home in North Port, FL on Tuesday, August 4, 2020. The wake will be held from 4 pm to 6 pm, with a panachyda at 6 pm. A Divine Liturgy will be held at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in North Port, FL on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 10am. As per Bohdan’s wishes, he will be buried in Bound Brook, NJ. On Saturday, August 8, 2020 there will be a funeral mass at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church 280 Main Street, South Bound Brook, NJ at 10 am. Immediately after, Bohdan will be laid to rest next to his wife Tamara.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Farley Funeral Home in North Port, FL for services in FL, and under the direction of Jaqui-Kuhn Funeral Home in Highland Park, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the following: Three Buildings for Sokil fundraiser for Novyi Sokil Plast Camp at www.gofundme.com/3-Building-for-Sokil or by mail to: 3 Buildings for Sokil, c/o Olena May, 57 Sonnet Drive, Orchard Park, NY 14127 (checks made out to “Plast Fundraising-Oselia”) or Ukrainian Language Society by mail to: Ukrainian Language Society, c/o Vira Bodnaruk, 5050 Seagrass Drive, Venice, FL 34293.

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