Беларускі інстытут навукі і мастацтва ў Канадзе з вялікім смуткам выказвае шчырае спачуванне сп. Івонцы Сурвілла з нагоды напаткаўшага яе гора, смерці дачкі, Mарыі Паўліны Сурвілла.
Марыя Паўліна Сурвілла, прафесар этнамузыкалогіі, вядомая дзяячка ў беларускай дыяспары ЗША і Канады, як даўні сябра нашага інстытута прымала актыўны ўдзел у яго жыцці.
У гэты цяжкі для сп. Івонкі Сурвілла час сябры інстытута выказваюць ёй сваю шчырую падтрымку.
Управа Беларускага інстытута навукі і мастацтва ў Канадзе
25 красавіка 2020 года
Mournfully, we bring to you saddest news: Dr., Prof. of Musicology, Maria Paula (Paŭlina) Survilla – Wachmann died prematurely on the evening of 25.04.20. This loss is horrifying and inexplicable. It is impossible to imagine a world without her. But we, people who love her, do not have to despair. Maria Paula Survilla – Wachmann generously gave each of us a part of herself and we will keep these presents for as long as we are in this world.
We shall all be grateful to Paula’s husband, Dr., Prof. of Music, Eric Wachmann, who together with their beautiful sons, Anton and Vaalik Wachmann, and with the help of their great friends, took tremendous care of Paula. She did not suffer. Thanks to them, Paŭlina left this world with dignity and peacefully, i.e., as she has been living her life: giving love and surrounded by love.
Due to the Kovid-19 pandemic and quarantine, her mother, Ivonka Survilla, her sister Hania (Hanna), her uncle Leonidas, other members of the family, and hundreds of friends, colleagues, and students will have to wait for a traditional celebration of Maria Paula (Paŭlina) Survilla – Wachmann’s life. However, nothing prevents us, who admire Paula’s spirituality, multifaceted talents, educational, scholarly, administrative, artistic, civil rights activism, and other professional and societal achievements, to start to celebrate her life starting with tonight.
Let me start with short personal reminiscences:
Indeed, I feel blessed to know Maria Paula (Paŭlinka) since her teenage years. After a first conversation, I fell in love with this person. She inherited the best qualities of her parents, Ivonka and Janka Survilla: kindness, sharp mind, strive for knowledge, and impeccable working habits. If anything, she was not a typical teenager, certainly not. Her kind, thoughtful, and inquisitive mind would rejoice anyone. Since that early times, our friendship grew. Once, after her BA’s graduation, her father told me: “You will see, she will become the first-rate scholar.” He was right, she is. It has been a privilege to work with her. We shared our interest in scholarship, arts, family, charity, social and pedagogical values, and more.
Starting with Fullbright scholarship during her Ph.D. studies, Paula’s work was enhanced many times with most prestigious endowments; her writings, both scholarly and for children are superb; her presentations at the conferences and congresses earned many followers and helped tremendously in establishing Belarusian studies in North America, Europe, and around the world; her administrative style has been impeccable. In short, she has been a polymath.
Here below I share with you a couple of self-explanatory entries from yesterday’s journal, dedicated to Paula Survilla (CaringBridge):
L. M.|Apr 24, 2020
Paula, I have always admired your wide-ranging intellectual pursuits, punctuated by your talents in photography and graphic design. Your teaching has enriched the lives and broadened the perspectives of countless generations of Wartburg students. I’m praying for you and Eric, Anton, and Vaalik on this journey.
M. B.|Apr 24, 2020
Hi Professor Survilla and family. I ache for you at this time. Words can’t describe how awful I feel for you right now. Please know we are praying for you and your family. I enjoyed the theory with you this year and wish we could have spent another class together. Thank you for the memories. With Love, Megan Bywater.
Let’s continue to celebrate this amazing person’s life. Eternal memory to you, my dear friend.
Respectfully,
Zina Gimpelevich