VALENTINA VOLKOVITSKAYA

VALENTINA VOLKOVITSKAYA  
Valentina Volkovitsaya, a longtime resident of Southwest Washington, DC embarked on her final journey January 30, 2017. Born in 1937 in Minsk, Belarus (then part of the Soviet Union), and trained as a physicist, she immigrated to the United States in 1995. Though she had never touched a computer before she arrived, she quickly mastered programming and worked for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, EDS, Galaxy and, finally, as a senior systems analyst at SRA, under contract to the US Patent and Trademark Office. An avid traveler, she went to the four corners of the earth, as her adventurous spirit knew no bounds. When at home in Washington, she enjoyed its music, museums, and theatre offerings, volunteering as an usher at Arena Stage and the Folger, Shakespeare, and Ford Theatres. She is survived by her sister, the pianist and teacher, Galina Ronkin; nephew, violinist Gary Ronkin; as well as cousins in New York; and a host of friends in Washington and around the world. There will be a memorial gathering later in the spring to celebrate her life and spirit.