Vitalik David Arctur

Vitalik David Arctur, age 29, passed away January 10, 2023 at the Fort Irwin National Training Center in California. He was born in Kolomak Village, Ukraine on July 17, 1993 and later placed in an orphanage in Kharkiv, Ukraine, where he was adopted by Alicia Nelson in May 2002 when he was 8. Together they came back to her home in Wimberley, Texas, along with her first adopted son from Bulgaria, James Valyan Calvert. In 2003 Alicia married David Arctur, who adopted Vitalik in October 2005. The family lived and grew up in Austin.

Soon after Vitalik arrived, Alicia found a Russian tutor so he wouldn’t lose his first language while he was learning English. Tatiana Nikolaevski, a Russian language and culture teacher, met with him weekly from when he was 9 to 19. She was caring and devoted to Vitalik ever since she met him.

A favorite activity for over a decade was to attend the Russian immersion camp called Lesnoe Ozero, at the Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, Minnesota. During and after high school, Vitalik returned as camp staff for a time. From Lara Ravitch, Dean of Lesnoe Ozero: “While we love all our villagers, Vitalik was hands down the most beloved villager of all time at Lesnoe Ozero. He was a special kid and had a really beautiful relationship with camp and everyone in it.”

Another angel of Vitalik’s youth was Jett Garner, his karate mentor from ages 9 to 19, who led Vitalik to attain his black belt. Jett was a coach and a friend to Vitalik. A lot of Vitalik’s sense of discipline and hard work came from both Jett and Tatiana.

When he was 15, Alicia took him to Camp Mabry’s Muster Day in Austin, a World War II reenactment. He wanted so much to become engaged in reenactments that he approached Captain Jeff Hunt, director of the Texas Military Forces Museum right then. From Captain Hunt: “Throughout high school Vitalik was an active and much beloved member of the Museum's living history detachment. Portraying both World War II and Civil War soldiers, he helped stage numerous educational and commemorative programs for the public, in addition to participating in color guard details for the Texas National Guard. Vitalik enjoyed learning about historic vehicles, weapons, tactics as well as the life of American soldiers in our nation's past. He especially enjoyed the camaraderie of his fellow reenactors and getting to know and honor hundreds of our country's veterans. Vitalik's natural aptitude for military service was apparent throughout his time with the museum's living history unit, and it was no surprise to us that he went on to enlist as an infantryman in the U.S. Army and took to that role so successfully and easily.”

Vitalik joined the U.S. Army in 2018, trained for the infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia, then was stationed at Schofield Barracks Military Base on Oahu, Hawaii until November 2022, when he transferred to the Fort Irwin National Training Center near Barstow, California. He died in the line of duty on base.

Vitalik loved, cared for and had fun with people of all ages throughout his too-short life, and was greatly loved in return. He is survived by his mother Alicia Nelson, father and stepmother David and Barbara Arctur, brother James Valyan Calvert, and more military brothers than we can name.

Vitalik's ashes will be interred at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made in Vitalik Arctur’s name to one of these charitable foundations, both of which were close to his heart and soul:

Concordia Language Villages Vision Fund: At the online giving link below in the "Memorial Contributions" section, please choose the "Russian Village," and mention Vitalik Arctur in the comments. Or send your check to Concordia Language Villages, 901 8th St S, Moorhead, MN 56562. Please enter "Russian village vision - Vitalik" in the memo line. They wish to make a permanent memorial to Vitalik there.

Texas Military Forces Historical Foundation: At the online giving link below in the "Memorial Contributions" section, please mention "Vitalik Arctur" in the comments or memo line. Or send your check made out to "TXMFHF" by mail to: Texas Military Forces Museum, 2200 W 35th St, Bldg 6, Austin, Tx 78703.

: https://youtu.be/4EVY7_FsTVk