Steve Ditko
Ditko in 1945 high school yearbook, senior class, Prospectus, Johnstown High School, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Birth Name: Stephen J. Ditko
Date of Birth: November 2, 1927
Place of Birth: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Death: c. June 29, 2018
Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.
Ethnicity: Rusyn
Steve Ditko was an American comics artist and writer. Along with Stan Lee, he created the Marvel Comics superheroes Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and Doctor Strange (Stephen Strange). Ditko and Lee died the same year.
Steve was the son of Anna (Balaschak) and Stephen Ditko. His parents were born in Pennsylvania, both of them to Rusyn parents, from Slovakia. His parents are buried at a Byzantine Catholic Cemetery.
Steve’s paternal grandfather was Wasyl/Wasil “Joseph” Ditko (the son of Paul/Peter Ditko and Anna Stak).
Steve’s paternal grandmother was named Dorothy Padorka “Annie” Kralowska/Kralovsky (the daughter of John Kralowska/Kralovsky).
Steve’s maternal grandfather was named John “Jan” Balaschak (the son of Mike Balaschak and Susan).
Steve’s maternal grandmother was named Mary “Meri” Balasazi/Balashazi (the daughter of John Balashazy and Mary).
Sources: Genealogy of Steve Ditko – https://www.wikitree.com
Steve Ditko on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Steve Ditko (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Tag “rusyn”
I don’t know if his parents were Rusyn (most likely) or Ukrainian (as Wikipedia states), but they most deffinitely weren’t Slovak.
His parents were both buried in the Saint Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Cemetery. Byzantine Catholic is the same as Greek Catholic, right? If I’m not mistaken, that would pretty much confirm that they were Rusyn.
It’s more of the fact that they were from Slovakia. Ukranians are usually from south Poland, not Slovakia. They’re also mostly Greek Catholic (and by this I mean Ukrainians in Poland, not as in most Ukrainians in general).
Steve Ditko’s father was Rusyn, according to this: https://c-rs.org/Famous-Rusyn-Americans/92608112