MURAL, KATHERINE

MURAL, KATHERINE (12 July 1904-2 June 1993) was a Ukrainian immigrant-rights activist, serving as secretary for 20 years of Cleveland Branch 358 of The Ukrainian National Association, a fraternal insurance organization, and president of Cleveland Branch 30 of the UKRAINIAN NATIONAL WOMEN'S LEAGUE OF AMERICA.

Born Katherine Mural in Cassandra, Pa., to John and Anna (Prunchak) Mural, Katherine moved from Johnstown, Pa. to Cleveland with her family at age 16. Katherine worked as a waitress, becoming involved in Ukrainian organizations through her church. Together with her husband, Katherine would sponsor Ukrainian immigrant families, then help these displaced people find homes and a job in the Cleveland area, particularly after WORLD WAR II. Katherine would introduce them to life in America and teach them such basics as riding buses, shopping and banking.

From the 1930s until her death, Katherine was active in Soyuz-Ukrainok - the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, serving as president during the 1940s and 1950s. In the early 1960s, Katherine chaired the committee of The Ukrainian National Association which raised funds for and purchased the statue of Ukrainian poetess Lesya Ukrainka for the Cleveland Cultural Gardens (see CLEVELAND CULTURAL GARDEN FEDERATION).

Katherine was honored many times for her lifelong work in and committment to the Ukrainian community of Cleveland by the Ukrainian National Association and the Ukrainian National Women's League of America.

Katherine married Frank Mural on 7 Feb. 1920 (died 1981). They had two children, William and Helen (Shipka). She lived in PARMA. She belonged to St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. Katherine is buried in St. Andrews Cemetery.


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