Rev. William Diakiw

Rev. William Diakiw [o. Вaсиль Дяків], (b. July 24, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois; d. January 20, 2023, in Renfrew, Pennsylvania). He was born the son of a priest. As a student at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, he belonged to a 10-piece dance band. He also sang in many of the local Ukrainian churches. He studied for the priesthood at St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg and was ordained in 1956 in Arnold, PA. Over the years, he served three different communities in Western Pennsylvania: Sharon (St. John), Lyndora (SS. Peter and Paul), and New Castle (Holy Trinity). Fr. Bill loved church music. He taught his parish choirs many new hymns, both in Ukrainian and English. He also put together books of music for the Ukrainian Orthodox League and directed the choir at a number of UOL conventions. He passed away in January 2023 at the age of 91, and is buried at North Side Cemetery in Butler, Pennsylvania.

1955: Ordained into the diaconate at St. John UOC (Sharon, PA).

1956: Ordained into the priesthood at Holy Virgin (Arnold, PA).

1956-1968: Pastor at St. John (Sharon, PA).

1968-1990: Pastor at SS. Peter and Paul (Lyndora, PA).

1990-2005: Member of the Metropolitan Council (South Bound Brook, NJ).

2005: Became the pastor at Holy Trinity (New Castle, PA).