Elizabeth Olean Kudrin

Elizabeth Olean (Golodoff) Kudrin, 82, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, February 19, 2023, at 7:37 a.m. May our merciful God grant her rest in blessed repose and make her memory to be 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, which would become her new home village. 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 that his wife Liz's greatest legacy was that of being a survivor of World War II P.O.W. imprisonment with her mom Olean and her siblings. As the youngest Attu baby to be taken to Japan, 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 of 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 as health challenges arose for her over their later years.
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 5 children, though sadly 4 of her 5 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; grand-children Christopher Gaddis, Mary J. McPartland and great-grandchildren Kai and Max, Jackie McPartland, and 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.
A visitation and viewing will take place at Janssen's Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street in Anchorage on Friday, February 24, 2023, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Funeral service will take place at Saint Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 401 Turpin Street, on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at 11 a.m. Service will be officiated by the Rev. Father John Kudrin, nephew of George and Liz Kudrin.
A memorial potluck-style repast meal will follow the service, downstairs at the Cathedral. Please bring a dish to share.
In lieu of flowers, any donations may be made to the family's GoFundMe fundraiser page (link share on social media) or in memory of Liz to Saint Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 401 Turpin St., Anchorage, AK 99504.
Funeral arrangements are with Janssen's Evergreen Memorial chapel; to view and sign the guestbook, go to www.janssenfuneralhomes.com.