Dora Elkina

Born in Velikiye Luki, Belarus (Великие Луки, Беларусь) on December 16, 1933, Dora Elkina (née Bernovskaya) had an extraordinary life. As the daughter of a Lieutenant Colonel in the Soviet Army, Dora lived across military family housing in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, and even post WW2 Germany, all before turning 14. As a twin, Dora and her sister Vera, grew up getting mistaken for one another frequently, which would at times work in their favor and mostly, ended in crying laughter.

Dora often traced her love of art back to one particular childhood memory. While exploring the barracks at one of the many places her father was stationed, she and Vera came across an officer painting. He invited the girls to try their hand at it, sparking a passion for art and creativity that would stay with Dora for the rest of her life. Though she explored many crafts over the years, from painting to knitting, her greatest love would eventually become needlework. Cross-stitch, embroidery, and needlepoint became her signature, and her creations would eventually fill her home with color, beauty, and reminders of the care she put into everything she made.

While Dora’s childhood and adolescence was anything but easy, she found the beauty and humor in everyday life and instilled those core values in her children and grandchildren. Though she had aspirations of becoming an architect that were unfortunately thwarted by an unfair Soviet school system, Dora educated hundreds in mathematics during her lifetime. Her knowledge of mathematics also made her an incredible billiards and mini golf player, well into her 90s :) Dora also worked as a manager in a factory, and later on as a seamstress - a skill that came in very handy throughout the rest of her life, as she became the go-to interior decorator and outfit designer for her family members. Wherever she went and whatever she did, one thing held true - her dedication to bringing beauty into any environment. For decades, her home was filled with beautiful drawings, vibrant depictions of nature, thoughtful cross-stitch designs and the most creatively colored crafts. Her home was a museum and if one was lucky enough, she would gift one of her treasures on a birthday or holiday, always meticulously wrapped.

At 58 years old and already on pension, Dora started her life over again in the US and joined her daughter, Irina, who had settled in Chicago in the late 80s. The last third of Dora’s life was filled with some of the best memories: she traveled to the Dominican Republic, Canada, and both Disneyland and Disneyworld; saw countless plays, operas, and ballets; found love again (or according to her, for the first time) in her 80s; and spent all her holidays with family and friends who loved her.

After a light supper of tea, biscuits, and cottage cheese, you’d typically find Dora doing a crossword puzzle, finishing up her latest cross-stitch masterpiece, or watching the Bulls game or Dancing with the Stars. And if you happened to surprise her with a visit, you’d never leave empty-handed; she would always send you out the door with a few of her hidden tasty treats, whether you asked for them or not.

Dora never expected anything from anyone and if you were to ask her what her heart desired, she’d eventually reply “something tasty, something beautiful.” Even after going through unimaginable grief at the tragic loss of her daughter to cancer in 2022, Dora managed to find purpose and strength through her beautiful creations and in her grandchildren, Juliana and Leonard.

Dora is survived by her younger sister, Galina, her brother, Sasha, her son, Ilya, her grandchildren, Juliana and Leonard, Yegor and Nikita, and great-grandpuppy, Cheburashka, the “чудо“ she adored and the reason she always kept doktorskaya kolbasa closeby.

The loss of Dora feels heavy in our hearts, but her memory warms our souls.

If you would like to make a donation in Dora’s honor, please donate to The Art of Giving (https://artofgivingfoundation.org/).