Liz Kudrin
Elizabeth Olean (Golodoff) Kudrin, 82, fell asleep in the Lord’s arms on Sunday, February 19, 2023. May our merciful God grant her rest and make her memory eternal. Known to those who knew and loved her as “Liz”, she lived a truly remarkable and extraordinary life. Liz was born February 16, 1941, in the village of Attu, an island at the far western end of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. She was only a year old in 1942 when Japanese troops invaded the village of Attu during World War II and all the villagers were captured and taken to Japan as Prisoners of War, where they remained for three years. After their return to Alaska, the United States government and military denied the Attuans return to their island. Liz and her family were among the Attu survivors who were relocated to the village of Atka in the Central Aleutians. Liz was still a young child when they returned, and she grew up in Atka, speaking the Atka dialect of Unangam Tunuu. Her husband, George Kudrin, shares his wife’s greatest legacy, being a World War II P.O.W. survivor, with her mom Olean and her siblings. As the youngest Attu baby to be taken to Japan, she survived being a prisoner of war, and went on to have a family of her own; she was truly the last mother of Attu. George memorializes her as “ayagam kayutuu” – a strong woman.
Despite her difficult times and sorrows, Liz always maintained her steadfast faith in God through all the hardest trials. And in the best of times, Liz had a wonderful sense of humor; she absolutely loved to laugh and found humor in so many ways, big and small.
On January 18, 1973, Liz married George Kudrin in a civil ceremony in Anchorage, Alaska, and three years later, on February 22, 1976, they were wed in the bonds of Holy Matrimony in the Orthodox Church. In January 2023, they celebrated 50 years of marriage, and Liz passed just several days shy of what would have been the 47th anniversary of their Church wedding. During their many years together, George was a loving and devoted husband and took dedicated care of his dear beloved wife.
Together, Liz and George lived in Atka for a number of years, where she was a homemaker, and was beautifully skilled and talented at crochet, until rheumatoid arthritis made it too difficult to continue. One of her great joys while living in Atka was going out on picnics around the island. Liz was an enrolled Tribal citizen of the Native Village of Atka and a baptized Orthodox Christian, carrying the baptismal name Elizaveta (the Russian form of Elizabeth). She and George eventually moved permanently to Anchorage in the 1990’s.
Liz had five children, though sadly four of her five children preceded her into eternal life: daughter Eva (Golodoff) Gaddis, and three sons, Billy J. Golodoff, Nikolai J. Golodoff and Adam Golodoff. She was also preceded in death by her father, Lavrenti Golodoff (d. 1945), mother, Olean (Horosoff) (Golodoff) Prokopeuff (d. sometime after 1976); siblings John Golodoff (d. 2009), Helen Golodoff (d. 194-), Leonty Golodoff (d. 194-), Minnedora Golodoff (infant), Nick Golodoff (d. 2013), and Valirijan Golodoff (d. 194-).
Her youngest son, William Dushkin, was adopted by John and Lavera Dushkin of Nikolski, where he was raised, though he later learned that Liz was his birth mother, and they met for the first time since his birth in 2001. They shared an instant connection as mother and son, and he was blessed to know the love of two mothers.
Liz is survived by her husband, George Kudrin; son William J. Dushkin and wife Crystal; grandchildren Christopher Gaddis, Mary J. McPartland and (great-grandchildren) Kai and Max, Jackie McPartland, Holly Cole; Lessa McVey and (great-granddaughter) Elizabeth; and Nadia, Anysia, Ivaan and Elias Dushkin; siblings Gregory Golodoff and wife Pauline, Agnes (Prokopeuff) Thompson, Lawrence Prokopeuff and wife Millie, Teresa Prokopeuff, brother-in-law Alex Kudrin and wife Rena, sister-in-law Antoinette (Toni) Stepetin and husband Ernest, sister-in-law Molly Kudrin, and many numerous beloved nieces and nephews.
Liz was greatly loved by all her family, relatives, and friends, near and far, and will be remembered and missed by all who knew her. She will be remembered as one who always thought of others rather than herself. She loved her family and kept them close at heart always. Vechnaya Pamyat (Memory Eternal); her soul shall dwell with the blessed.
In lieu of flowers, any donations may be made to the family’s GoFundMe fundraiser page.
The burial will take place in the spring at Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery.
Obituary lovingly prepared by Crystal Dushkin and the Kudrin Family.
Janet Bourdukofsky
Janet I. Bourdukofsky, 71, of Anchorage, Alaska, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at the Alaska Native Medical Center on Feb. 28, 2023.
Janet was born on St. George Island, Alaska, to Alexay and Mary Lou Merculief. She was the eldest of nine children. In 1966, their family relocated to St. Paul Island, Alaska, where she lived until 1999, then made Anchorage her home.
She dedicated her life to her children. Janet was a talented artist; she enjoyed drawing, painting, calligraphy, and cake decorating. She loved music and long road trips. Her lifelong dream was to visit Greece and she was able to spend three weeks in April 2022 exploring Santorini, Mykonos, Tinos and Athens.
Her children will miss her sense of adventure, her amazing family dinners and her daily texts and calls.
Janet is survived by her mom, Mary Lou Merculief of Anchorage; children, Dionisy Jr., Angela, James, and Mark of Anchorage, and Peter (Stacy) of St. Paul Island; brothers, Jacob and Alexay Jr. Merculief, and Michael Chercasen; sisters, Serafima Merculief, Joann Salenski, and Patricia Merculief-Booth; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Laurence and Natalia Prokopiof; dad, Alexay Merculief Sr.; and brothers, Stefan and Ron Merculief.