Svetlana Pavlovna Chernyak

It is with deep love and sadness, that we share that Svetlana Pavlovna Chernyak passed away on April 11th, leaving behind a legacy of profound love, true joy, and the most vibrant spirit. She was full of life, a true original. To know her was to never forget her. She was unapologetically herself, magnetic, funny, and full of charm. Her name, Sveta, means light, and she lived up to it! She lit up every room she walked into with her stunning smile and her unforgettable energy. She taught us the greatest lessons not through words, but through her actions. She showed us how to live and how to love— boldly, fully, and freely.

Born on August 2nd, 1951, in Sablino, Russia, to Valentina and Pavel Kokovkina, Svetlana grew up in a small village alongside her beloved brother Pavlik, where her mother was a respected schoolteacher. From an early age, she was full of life, talented in sports, language, and music. She had a beautiful voice and traveled with a national choir, making friends wherever she went. She always said she was shy when she was young, which is still hard to believe.

She went on to study at university in St. Petersburg, her most beloved city. Some of her happiest years were spent working as a designer at the Music Hall, surrounded by actors, poets, painters, and dancers. She began sewing her own dresses and suits, creating her own original style from whatever materials she could find. She also worked in nightclubs and restaurants, managing criminals. Because of course she did.

She met her husband, Vladimir, on vacation at the Black Sea, and they fell in love. A real, deep love that stayed with them through everything. In Russia, they had a summer house, a “dacha”, where they grew strawberries, gooseberries, currants, apples, and all kinds of vegetables. She loved it there, and so did her children. Some of their favorite memories were there. Picking mushrooms in the forest, roasting potatoes in the fire, swimming in the lake, and everyone being together.

In 1991, with the help of family, they came to the United States, hungry for freedom and new opportunities for their children. Together they built a life rooted in laughter and courage. They stayed deeply connected, always walking together, always dancing and laughing until the end. They loved their trips to Atlantic City, pronounced only in a heavy Russian accent.

Svetlana had grit. She learned English quickly, even if her spelling remained notoriously bad, but she never ever hesitated to speak up, especially when it came to helping others. She showed up for other new arrivals, always helping someone find a job or a couch, always advocating, always making sure people had what they needed.

She built a beautiful community and hosted legendary parties in the 90s with the immigrant community from the former Soviet Union. To say that Sveta was the life of the party is an understatement. She was the whole party. The one who brought everyone together, writing and reciting poetry, singing, and making toasts that people still remember. It was a beautiful, hopeful time in her life.

For over 25 years, she worked as a property manager in Liberty, helping countless families, medical residents, and newcomers create a home. She didn’t just manage apartments. She took care of people. She had a way of making everyone feel welcomed, seen, and truly taken care of. She also loved having home-cooked meals with Bella at the apartment, spending time with Villi, her in-laws, whom she cared for with so much love over the years.

She was obsessed with her family. Her children and grandchildren were her greatest pride and joy. She loved traveling to be with them for birthdays, sporting events, and she never missed a moment to celebrate them. She was always so proud, sharing photos on Facebook so everyone could see her joy. Her children’s and grandchildren’s friends became her friends. She treated them all like family. She made them all feel like they mattered, like they could do anything, like they were deeply loved.

She had three beloved basset hounds, her rescue dog Coco, and her cat Sushi. In Russia, she had a Great Dane, Soneta, and a Pekingese, Chen. She truly loved dogs and all animals. She also loved her garden, growing tomatoes with Vladimir and talking to her flowers. She would rescue flowers from forgotten places and bring them back to life in her own yard.

She was a legend. Wild, funny, unforgettable. She had incredible stories and somehow always found her way into... and out of trouble. She said exactly what she thought. No filter. She didn’t follow rules, she made her own. A lioness, fierce, protective, loving, and completely herself. She made everyone laugh. She knew people. She knew timing.

She leaves behind her beloved husband, Vladimir Chernyak, her son Dan Chernyak, his wife Amanda Chernyak, and their children Molly and William, and her daughter Masha Chernyak, her husband Seth Duckens, and their two boys, Roux and Phoenix.

In the last years of her life, she found joy in the simplest pleasures. Listening to her husband read to her. Walking in her favorite Mill Creek Park with her dogs. Watching her grandson William play hockey and lacrosse and her granddaughter Molly cheer, celebrating all of their accomplishments. She spent long stretches in San Francisco, playing with Roux and Phoenix at the beach, making jokes, and drinking champagne.

She was fun. Truly, the most fun.

It is hard to imagine this world without her light.

Svetlana will never be forgotten. She is immortal. Wild. Free. She is our favorite person.

Being loved by her was the greatest gift of our lives.

Her family will host a Celebration of Life on May 31st at 5pm at Mill Creek Park, at Pioneer Pavilion on Old Furnace Road in Youngstown, Ohio. They will also have a bonfire at her home on Saturday night with close family and those traveling from far away. If you would like to join us, please RSVP here.