Hutzcal, Nicolai and Vasilca

Nicolai was born in 1891 in Boian, Bucovina, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. George Hutzcal. He grew up there but as a teenager he decided to accompany his older brother John to Canada. Once he arrived in western Canada he secured a job on the railroad and by the time he was in his early twenties he had been promoted to foreman of a section crew. However, he decided to go farming so he travelled north where he had an uncle already farming at Boian.
In 1918 he married Vasilca Harasim, daughter of Petre and Anija Harasim who lived in the Shandro district. They settled on a homestead a mile and a half directly east of Boian Marea school. There they both worked very hard and made a good living. This couple raised five children including two sets of twins. Constantine, the oldest enlisted in the Canadian army in World War II and was killed in a truck accident while on duty in December, 1944. Ironically enough, his father who had been ill for three years with a serious heart condition also died the same month as his beloved son.
Vasilca who had farmed alone continued to operate the farm with the help of her children. She did a man’s work in the fields and around the farmyard. In 1946 she sold her farm and moved her family to Ardmore where she purchased two quarters of good farm land. The children grew up, the girls married and raised families of their own. The twin boys left home and trained as mechanics.
In 1958 Vasilca sold her property and moved to Edmonton where she still resides in her own home. At eighty-four she enjoys relatively good health and is very happy with her children and grandchildren.