Orest Subtelny, Historian: May 17, 1941 - July 24, 2016

Orest Subtelny passed away peacefully on July 24, 2016. An immigrant of Ukrainian descent from occupied Poland, Subtelny was a professor of history and political science at York University, Toronto, from 1982 to 2015.

While pursuing graduate studies at Harvard University, Subtelny was among the first cohort of graduate students at the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. He was the first to complete a Ph.D. in the newly formed Ukrainian Studies Program, writing a thesis entitled, "Unwilling Allies: The Relations of Hetman Pylyp Orlyk with the Ottoman Porte and the Crimean Khanate." Since then, he has written six books on East European and Ukrainian history, along with a multitude of articles and book chapters.

Perhaps his greatest legacy, his book, "Ukraine: A History" (University of Toronto Press, 1988), served as an influential, authoritative history during key years of Ukraine's development following independence. 

His commendations include:

• Order of Merit by the Government of Ukraine (2001) 
• Foreign Member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences 
• Honorary Doctorate by the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine
• Shevchenko Medal by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress

For additional information about Orest Subtelny's life and details about funeral arrangements, or to sign the guestbook, visit his page on the Turner and Porter website.