Wasyl Teres 6 October 1908 – 6 May 2006

	I was born in Sedlische, a small village in Ukraine, on 6 October 1908. I was the eldest of 3 boys. My younger brother Michael has passed away but my other brother, Walter, lives in Warsaw, Poland. I have seen huge changes in world events and culture, living through times of peace and war, scarcity and plenty. I grew up on a small family farm, completing primary school after the World War 1 years and working for my father during my teenage years. In my late teens, I had to seek manual work in larger nearby cities, returning home at weekends. I was conscripted into the Polish Army at the age of 21 and served for 2 years. After completing army service, I found work as a labourer. I was married in 1935, at the age of 27, to Paraska (Pauline) aged 18. I continued to work away from home, returning at weekends to help on the farm.
	After only 4 years of marriage World War 2 broke out. I was again conscripted and soon captured by the Germans. I spent the next 3½ years in Germany as a Prisoner Of War working on a farm before escaping and returning home to my wife and family home. During my years in Germany, I had learned to speak fluent German so was able to secure a job on the railways acting as an interpreter. When the Russian Army began to advance through Ukraine I decided to flee with Pauline to Poland rather than risk living under communist rule. We remained in Poland for one year then moved to Lengerich, Germany, to live on the farm where I had worked as a POW. We were well cared for by the kind farmer and his wife. Paul was born during this period in 1945. Shortly after the end of the war, we were accepted as refugees and spent the next 3½ years in a refugee camp in Budhorne, Germany. I chose to migrate from there to Australia and Pauline followed with Paul 6 months later. We were reunited at Bonegilla in 1949.
Our family started our new life renting a room in Alphington, in a house owned by an old widow. I quickly found work at the nearby quarry. However, I quit after a short time because work conditions were harsh and found work at the Alpha Spinning Mills in Heidelberg Road. I was to remain employed there for the next 25 years. Pauline also found work in a local factory after Paul started school, and a deposit for a house was saved in 2 years. Our first house in Naroon Road, Alphington was purchased in 1951. Pauline and I accepted Australian Citizenship in 1954 and our second son, John, was born in 1956.
		The church became an increasingly important part of my life. We went to Richmond every Sunday to attend the service at the Slavic Baptist Church. The highlight of each year was the church conference held interstate, in rotation, just after Christmas. We travelled by car or train to Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney. My leisure time revolved around bible study, committee work and vocational activities. In 1962, we moved to a new house in Wingrove Street, Alphington which I had built under sub-contract. Pauline and I were very proud of this house. l planted fruit trees in the back yard and Pauline maintained a vegetable garden and the front flower garden. We kept their home immaculate despite the efforts of two growing boys who managed to break several windows and leave their mark wherever they went.
I retired in 1973 and began to devote more of my time to the work of my church; preaching, visiting people, continuing my bible studies and committee work. I spent some time in Perth and Brisbane as a lay preacher before moving permanently to Brisbane in 1986 where I accepted an honorary leadership role of a small church congregation. I maintained enthusiastic involvement in all aspects of church work until old age and poor health enforced full retirement.
			I was admitted to the Cazna Gardens Nursing Home in March, 2003. I lived there permanently under the dedicated care of the staff. Pauline visited me several times a week and my sons Paul and John were regular visitors when they travelled to Brisbane from Melbourne and Canberra. Wasyl passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early morning of Saturday 6^th May 2006.

Last updated by Paul Teres 6^th May, 2006.

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