Vitaly M. Dumanis

Vitaly Dumanis aka Vitalik, 75, of Foxboro, MA passed away on April 29th 2026 due to complications from fibrotic lung disease. Vitalik was born on June 22, 1950 in Moscow, USSR to Marcus and Perusya (Lucy) Dumanis, both from Jewish families in Odessa, a large industrial city by the Black Sea (Ukraine).

In high school, Vitalik was enrolled in elite physics and math classes for gifted students. He was accepted into the most prestigious university in Moscow, passing entrance exams with high marks. During his first semester, Vitalik fell in love with the Theater at Taganka in Moscow, and spent all his evenings with the young entourage there. Much of his time was spent mingling with the artists, including after performances. As a result, in his very first final exam session of his first semester, he overslept his exam, and was expelled from the university. Mandatory conscription to the Soviet Army followed.

After Vitalik completed his 2-year service, he returned back to Moscow, and went to work at a scientific research institute combining computing work with engineering. He concurrently enrolled in evening classes at the Moscow Institute of Electronics and Machine Building, graduating with a degree in engineering. At the same time, Vitalik resumed his connection to the Theater at Taganka, becoming a well-known leader of that same young entourage. Vitalik’s daughter, Alina, was born in Moscow in 1984.

In 1985, Vitalik immigrated to the US to join his mother and the rest of his family who had emigrated from the USSR earlier. Shortly thereafter, he met and formed a quick friendship with his future soulmate - Elena Dumanis. The couple was married in 1988, surrounded by the friends they maintain to this day. In 1989, they welcomed their son Daniel, and in 1993, Alexander “Sasha”. Vitalik’s children were his pride and joy, and despite an active career as a distributor and service engineer for spectrometers -- which took him all over the world -- he was an involved father, and later, a grandfather.

In addition to being a successful engineer and small business owner, there were few things that Vitalik was unwilling to tackle, and was known to be an impressive handyman. Even as recently as a few years ago, Vitalik single-handedly built a patio and a fireplace in the backyard of their Foxboro home. Together with his son Daniel, they completed the basement renovation for Daniel’s Natick home (including a custom sauna that Vitalik enjoyed with both of his sons).

Vitalik will be remembered for his sharp wit and intellect, outgoing nature, infectious laugh, his optimism and zest for life.

He was preceded in death by his parents Marcus and Perusya. Vitalik is survived by his wife Elena Dumanis of Foxboro, MA; his brother and sister-in-law Edward and Nadya Dumanis of Rochester, NY; his children and their spouses, Alina and Joseph Kogan of Bethesda, Maryland, Daniel and Masha Dumanis of Natick, MA, Alexander Dumanis of Brighton, MA; his four beloved grandchildren in Maryland and Natick; and his nieces and his nephew, his cousins and other relatives, and many of his friends around the world.

Private funeral services will take place at Stanetsky Memorial Chapel in Canton, MA, with interment at Sharon Memorial Park.