Galina Vilensky

Our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Galina Vilensky, passed away on November 15, 2024, at the age of 77 due to health complications. She was a loving mother and grandmother to all her children and grandchildren. She was born in the USSR, a country that was under a communist regime. She met and married Ivan Vilensky and began their lives together. She worked as a janitor at the local, public school while her husband worked as a bricklayer. Life in the USSR was hard. After she had a boy and a set of twins, they moved in with her husband’s parents in the country while waiting for government housing. Once the housing was ready, she and her family moved into a second-floor apartment of a five-story building in the city.

She continued to work part-time while raising her children. Food was hard to come by, but her children don’t remember ever going hungry. Meat was scarce, and she set aside a good portion of it for her husband who worked hard to support the family. One day, her husband came home and announced that the family can go to a place where there is an abundance of food, a free place to live and express oneself. But it meant leaving everything Galina knew to start this new life. Once support was gathered, the plans began to fall into place to move to America.

This part of the journey began at the familiar train station in Trostyanetz in March of 1989. Grandma Shura was there to give a final hug to all seven of her grandchildren and bid goodbye to her son and daughter-in-law. Once the train was boarded, her family travelled to Poland where a stop was made to wait for the next leg of the journey. Galina and her children were excited to get on the next train to Austria. Once they arrived there, her family was provided an apartment where they stayed for three weeks while awaiting the processing of documents before they can leave to America. She had great adventures during the short stay in Austria with her children. Once, her husband went grocery shopping with their three, oldest children. The oldest child was charged with guarding two bags of groceries outside another store while her husband went in to make another purchase. This oldest boy was distracted by a clever thief while his friend stole the two bags of groceries that, hopefully, went to feed a hungry family.

Once again, the time came to board the train with her husband and children to continue their journey. The next stop was Italy where she stayed for nearly three months while waiting for the last leg of the journey to be arranged. The summer months were filled with fun and laughter. Her family stayed in an apartment close to the ocean. The children, oftentimes, would cross the main road in front of their apartment complex, then run across the hot, sandy beach barefoot to the water where many days of swimming and playing took place. She took her children to a local church while staying in Italy and attended services in the lobby of the apartment were other Russian, Christian families would gather to sing and talk about their faith in God.

The day came to pack what few belongs her family had and board a plane bound for the United States. Arriving there in early July of 1989 was a dream that became a reality. Galina’s family settled in the San Francisco Bay area where they resided for the next two and a half years, learning the new culture and language. Much happened in the following seven years, but in 1996 Galina moved to Everett, Washington, where she made her home a gathering place for her children and grandchildren until she passed away. She lived and worked for her children while teaching them unconditional love by her selflessness.

Galina was hard-working. While living in the Everett area, she worked as a janitor/custodian for a day care at the U.S. Naval Base. It was strenuous work, but she was employed there until she retired at 72.

Galina found the most joy in her children and grandchildren and spent most of her free time with them. She was faithful to her church and attended services regularly as she was able. She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed making meals for her children. While she lived a simple life, she enjoyed going shopping with her children. Some of her favorite activities was going to the Woodland Zoo, spending time watching the waves roll in and out at the beach, visiting her children that lived in the mountains of Idaho, and creating memories for all of her children.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Ivan Vilensky. She is survived by her nine children, and twelve grandchildren with one grandson arriving in December. She is survived by her children Yuri Vilensky; Tasha Vilensky; Fred (Loriann) Vilensky; Paul (Jessica) Vilensky; Avraam (Linda) Vilensky; Nick Vilensky; Alexandra Vilensky; David (Dasha) Vilensky; and Moses Vilensky, and surviving grandchildren Savannah and Teegan (Fred); Hudson and Lincoln (Paul); Serenity, Aubrey, Ava, and Issac (Avraam); Damien, Evelyn, and Nina (Alexandria); and Leo (David).

Funeral services will be held at the Slavic Christian Church Awakening, 4223 78th Street, Southwest, in Mukilteo, on Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 pm. A graveside service will be held on Friday, November 22 at 12:00 pm, at the Evergreen Cemetery, 4504 Broadway, in Everett.

The family wishes to send a special thank you to the Slavic Christian Church Awakening for their kindness and generosity to Galina and her family. We appreciate your love and support of our mom. We would also like to thank those that have provided flowers and food, including the Calvary Apostolic Tabernacle and Oleksandr and Natasha Hudkov. We would also like to thank the Evergreen Funeral Home and Cemetery for their assistance and kindness during this difficult time.

Mama, you are missed and loved dearly.