Alexandra Semeniuk

Alexandra (Alice) Octavia Semeniuk, age 102, of Madison, WI peacefully passed away on Saturday, May9 with loving family at her bedside.  Alexandra was born to Abraham Maxim and Anna ((Kamm) Zalizniak in Vegreville, Alberta, Canada on March 30, 1918. She had 3 sisters and one brother, all of whom are deceased.  Alice was raised in Edmonton, Alberta where she completed her public education and Normal School training.   Following graduation, she taught. in a one-room school in rural Alberta before marrying her beloved husband of 57 years, George Semeniuk.  Together, they raised three children, living in Ames, IA, Ottawa, ONT, Canada, and Brookings, SD.  Alice earned her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at South Dakota State University.  She taught 2nd grade in the Brookings school system prior to accepting a teaching position at SDSU  in the Home Economics department where she retired in 1983 as a Professor Emeritus.  Her professional memberships included Phi Kappa Phi, Delta Kappa Gamma, Phi Upsilon Omicron, Pi Gamma Mu, and  the American Home Economics Association.  She was an Elder in the Presbyterian Church in both Brookings and Richland and was a current member of Asbury United Methodist Church in Madison, WI.

Following Alice and George’s  retirements from SDSU, they moved to Richland, WA to live near their oldest daughter’s family.  George passed away in 1996 and two years later, Alice moved to New Jersey, closer to the homes of her other daughter and son.  At that time, she chose to return to using her given name of Alexandra.  She moved, with her daughter and son-in-law to Madison, WI in 1999 and enjoyed living in the Coventry Village Community.

Experiencing life to the fullest, Alexandra enjoyed travel and study trips both in the United States and in Europe.  Her creative interests included water color painting, sewing, reading, music and gardening.  She is survived by her two daughters, Sandy Keating of Oak Harbor, WA and Shirley (Don) Wallace of Madison, WI.  Also surviving are 5 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.   Her son, George Michael, pre-deceased her in 2013.

Our mother lived her life with grace and with deep devotion to her family and the care of others.   A family service and inurnment will be held at a later date in Brookings, SD.  The family thanks the caregivers at Sebring Assisted Living and Agrace Hospice for their tender care and attention.

Please share your memories at www.cressfuneralservice.com

Cress Center

6021 University Ave. Madison

(608) 238-8406