Ann Berbec Boyko, 91, of Stratford, fell asleep in the Lord peacefully and painlessly Monday, August 30, following a massive stroke. She was surrounded by her family, just the way she always prayed she'd leave us. To define a heart of gold, one only needed to know her. She was the most generous and kind person God ever created, and she will be extremely missed by everyone who knew her. Born in the USA on May 31, 1919, she returned to Ukraine with her parents as an infant, and grew up in Ukraine until age 19. After much discrimination, as a result of being an American citizen in a country under communist control, her adventurous spirit led her to return to America to begin a new life for herself. Upon arriving in the US, she met her future husband, Charles William Sr., and they were married in October, 1941. Following her husband's combat service in the Navy in World War II, they built a house together in Lordship. Mom held jobs in several factories (such as Detroit Controls, Singer, Avco, Schick) to help support her family and save for her children's education. She was a longtime member of St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Bridgeport, and held several offices within the church throughout her lifetime. Mom was always a strong Christian who read her Bible daily, loved people and talked to everyone she saw, cheering them up and making them smile. She couldn't even make it through a grocery line without making a new friend, or go anywhere without meeting somebody she knew. She loved flowers, gardening, cooking and baking, and always had room for dessert. She always saw the beauty in every cloud, every flower, and in all of God's creations. Mom devoted her whole life to her family, especially to her son Charles William Jr. (Billy) in her later years, caring for him during his long battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Despite many trials, her faith was steadfast, always seeing the goodness of God's blessings. Mom was always very active and independent right up until her stroke. She even made a beautiful supper for her family the night before and danced at her granddaughter's wedding in Kentucky last August. Our family would like to thank our medical doctor, Dr. David Jutkowitz, and the entire staff at Bridgeport Hospital in the ER, MICU, and Tower West 7, for all their outstanding care and kindness during her last days. Even though she was in a coma, everyone treated her like a human being, with respect, dignity, and love. If Mom could speak for herself right now, she wouldn't be able to find enough words to thank her chiropractor, Dr. Robert Pesale. For many years, he and his staff always went out of their way to try to ease her pains in any way they could. Survivors include her daughter Daria Santerre and her husband James with whom she lived the past 26 years in Stratford, her son Ronald and wife Kathleen of Big Flats, NY, and their children Holly and Jeffrey, son-in-law Carmine, and Charles' son Daniel, her brother Mykola Berbec and his family and nieces in Ukraine, and her sister, Dr. Daria Pakharukovoy in Siberia. Mom was predeceased by her beloved husband Charles of 39 years, who passed away in August, 1980, her first-born son, Charles William Jr., who passed away from MS in January, 2009, and her sister Marenka and brother Slavko in Ukraine. Funeral services will take place on Friday September 3rd at 12:15 p.m. in the Adzima Funeral Home 50 Paradise Green Place Stratford and at 1:00 p.m. in St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church Oakwood Street Bridgeport for a Requiem Funeral Service. Interment will be in St. John's Cemetery Stratford. Friends may call on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. Panachida at 6p.m. In lieu of flowers those desiring may make donations to the National MS Society 1 Selleck St. Suite 500 Norwalk, CT. 06855