Sam Arsen Fedosenko

Sam Arsen Fedosenko

A biography of Sam Arsen Fedosenko, who was an active UFLTA member throughout his life at many branches of the AUUC.

Text

1905

Kokhitva, Ukraine

1987

Shoemaker

Sam Arsen Fedosenko was born in Khokhitva in the Bohuslavsky Rayon Kievska Oblast region of Ukraine. He came to Canada in 1924, and settled in Borden, Saskatchewan, where he worked until 1926. He moved to Revelstoke then on to Vernon in 1931. There he met and married Parannya Gac. They bought a small farm in Lavington, BC, built a home and cleared the land for farming. In order to survive on the farm, Arsen cut and sold wood. They moved back to Vernon after four years where Arsen opened a shoe repair shop.

He came to Vancouver in 1937 where he worked as a shoemaker. This was during the depression and because he could not stand by and watch children walking around in badly torn shoes, he very soon went bankrupt as he fitted children and adults with shoes whether they could pay for them or not. At the outbreak of WWII Arsen got a job at Burrard Shipyard as a pipe fitter where he worked until his retirement.

Arsen began participating in the activities of the ULFTA in Revelstoke and became a member of the organization. He continued on as a member in Vernon and became more actively involved when Parannya and their daughter moved there. Although times were tough the Fedosenkos' door was always open to out of town visitors of the ULFTA.

Arsen enjoyed taking part in the many activities at the Hall. He loved to sing and was a member of the ULFTA and AUUC choirs from his arrival in Vancouver in 1937. He helped at banquets, bazaars, and in the general upkeep of the Hall. He never missed a May Day Rally or Peace March, proudly marching with the AUUC contingent.