Larissa Lupanow

Larissa Lupanow passed away on April 18th 2013 after a major stroke. Larissa was born July 9th 1937 in Kiev, Ukraine and was the only child of Joseph and Elizabeth Djuba. She travelled from Russia to Germany as a child during World War II and came to America as a war refugee. Her family began their stay in this country in New York. It was there that Larissa connected with the love of her life, Paul. Soon after they met, both their families migrated to Cleveland, Ohio with the help of their Russian church. Their families had known each other in Russia and even came to America on the same boat. They were soon married and had two sons. They decided to pick up and move their young family to California for a brighter future. In California, they decided to have another child and were blessed with a daughter.

Larissa devoted herself to raising her three children and worked off and on when needed to make ends meet. The family moved to Thousand Oaks in 1975 and Larissa had finally found the place she called home. Her husband passed away in 2003, after 48 years of marriage. Larissa moved to Delaware in 2006 to be with her daughter, but she always missed California. She struggled with severe medical problems most of her life but never let that stop her from being a rock of strength for her family.

Larissa is survived by her son George (and spouse Tracy), her son Andy (and spouse Joy), her daughter Lidia; her grandchildren: Jennifer (and spouse Branden), Joseph (and spouse Nicole), Paul, Christina, Alyssa (and spouse Kyle), Sarah, Chris (and spouse Olivia), Nick, Larissa and Jessica; as well as her three great-grandchildren: Elijah, Hailey and Violet.

Larissa is coming home to California to be reunited with her beloved husband, Paul, at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks on Friday, April 26.

The viewing will be at 1 p.m. with the service beginning at 2 p.m. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Senior Concerns (www.seniorconcerns.org).