Nadezhda Sklyarevskaya

Nadezhda Skylarevskaya was born on May 19, 1937 in Kharkov, Ukraine - then a part of the USSR. She was born to Israel and Chana (Weiner) Epstein a few short years before the beginning of WWII. Nadezhda and her brother Isaac (Galina) Epstein, were young children when war broke out. In 1941, the family - like millions of Soviet citizens - fled the Nazi onslaught to the relative safety of Kazakhstan - far from the front lines. Like all military aged men of the time, her father Israel was drafted into the Red Army. Again, like millions of others, he perished in the struggle against Nazi Germany. After the war, her mother Chana, returned to Kharkiv in order to rebuild a life. From a young age, Nadezhda demonstrated a number of personality traits that were evident throughout her life. Perhaps, because of the trying circumstances of her youth, Nadezhda was committed to helping others. She always seemed to be engaged in some activity on someone else’s behalf. Nadezhda also possessed a keen intelligence and a preference for logic and reason over emotion. Perhaps due to the difficult circumstances of her childhood, she maintained a serious disposition and a stern exterior. However, those that knew her understood that her seriousness masked a deep kindness and commitment to others. Nadezhda was a hard working and talented student who achieved academic excellence. She was accepted to the Cherkasy National University and studied mathematics, physics, and education. This was no small feat. At this time, there was active discrimination and a strict quotas on accepting Jews at university. Only the very best Jewish students would be granted admission at the time. Their talent simply had to be undeniable. In 1969, Nadezhda married Yakov Skylarevskiy (pre-deceased). As fate would have it, Yakov was the son of a friend of Nadezhda’s mother. They met each other during the war years in Kazakhstan. Nadezhda and Yakov had one daughter together, Helen. Helen also remained close with her half -sister Natalie from her father’s first marriage. The family immigrated to Cleveland soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1993. There, Helen and her husband Alex Friedman, gave Nadezhda three granddaughters: Jessica, Liza, and Anna (Eric). Anna and Eric also gave Nadezhda two great-granddaughters Melanie and Sophie. Nadezhda remained close to her step-daughter Natalie and her children Sergei (Celeste) and Alex (Anna). Later in life, Nadezhda loved to travel. She enjoyed trips to Israel, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Caribbean. She was proud to become a naturalized American citizen. But Nadezhda’s greatest passion was for her family. She was a loving mother and grandmother who always encouraged her daughter and granddaughters to set high expectations for themselves. While they may not have appreciated it at the time, they all feel a debt of gratitude towards her. She encouraged character development and helped instill a strong work ethic in them. Graveside Funeral will be at Mount Sinai Cemetery (6576 White Rd, Mayfield, OH 44143) on Sunday, June 16, 2024. 1:00 PM The family will be receiving visitors for shiva immediately after the funeral on Sunday - until 6PM. They will also be receiving visitors on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 6-8 PM. Arrangements under the supervision of Cleveland Jewish Funerals.

Nadezhda Sklyarevskaya

May 19, 1937 - June 13, 2024