Kaleria Gandzjuk

April 22, 1922 - August 17, 2014

Carmel by-the-Sea - Kaleria Gandzjuk, 92, passed peacefully at home with family by her side. Born in Smolensk, Russia, she met her husband, George Gandzjuk, and was married in 1944. Having survived the World War II German invasion, they immigrated to the United States in 1950 and she began a new life with George. Within two years, they settled in a sleepy little town called Carmel.

While George began teaching Russian at the DLI - Presidio of Monterey, Lara, as she became known to many, started her first business, a hand-made tie salon. Calling life in Carmel "paradise", she began what would become a sixty-year history of successfully operating five local businesses ending with her skin care salon, where she became a beloved fixture of the Carmel community. At her post by the Dutch door to her salon, La Beaute, she would charm locals and visitors alike with her loving and charismatic personality. She would often joke about learning English from watching the "I Love Lucy" T.V. show and had the cutest accent while sharing her many stories.

Lara loved her family above all else and the many friends she made over the years. She was much loved and will be greatly missed by all, always remembered as a model of kindness, elegance and beauty.

Lara was predeceased by George, her husband of fifty-two years. She is survived by her two sons, Alexander “Sascha” and Igor; her five grandsons, Jacob, Nicholas, Gabriel, Derek and Jason and six great-grandchildren.

Private family services will be held. A Celebration of Lara’s Life will be held at a later time and will be announced in local papers.