Obituary of Helena Buhaj

Helena “Helen” Buhaj, nee Czubkowski, of Westfield, MA and Fort Plain, New York, went to be with the Lord on October 15, 2022. Helena was born on July 22, 1928 in Dubno, Poland where
she grew up using Polish, Ukrainian, Belarussian and German languages. Her parents were Wladyslaw “Walter” and Maria Czubkowski. Walter was a councilman for the eastern district of
Dubno where he managed the family’s sugar beet plantation. For Helena, her brothers and sisters, these normal conditions ended with the outbreak of World War II. At age 11, Helena,
and her family fled their home, and soon were taken to Germany as forced labor. Following the war, U.S. peacekeeping forces occupying southern Germany gave the Czubkowski family the
opportunity to immigrate permanently to the United States.

The years in Germany brought new life to the Czubkowski family, especially with the healing of shattered lives and souls. Christian missionaries brought words of hope and spiritual healing to
refugee camps for displaced peoples. The hopelessness of lost lives and the anxiety of an unknown future was replaced with the good news of spiritual resurrection and confidence in the future.

It was with this new spirit of hope that Helena rebuilt her life in the United States. She became a caring wife and mother, a doting grandmother and a fervent prayer-warrior. She encouraged
her family with prayer, singing hymns, and words of love. She was an accomplished seamstress, avid gardener, and loved the simplicity of country living. In 1958 Helena married
(then Pastor) Adrian Buhaj and together, with former immigrants from war-torn Europe, founded a full gospel church at Brookmans Corners in upstate NY.

Helena was predeceased by her daughter Jeannie in 1976, husband Bishop Adrian Buhaj in 1993, her brother Rev Anthony Czubkowski in 2020, and her sister Mary Majewski in 2022. She
is survived by her sons Stan Tukarski (Jane), Adrian Jr. (June), stepson Mike Buhaj (Laura), and daughters Helen Czerniejewski (Waldemar) and Anna Armer (Andrew), 19 grandchildren, and
11 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will take place on October 25, 2022 at Houghtaling & Smith Funeral Home
20 Otsego Street, Canajoharie, New York, Viewing at 12:00-1:00, funeral service following at 1:00. Burial will follow that at Fort Plain Cemetery.