Svetlana “Lana” Isyumov

Dear Isyumov Family,
We have so many great memories of Lana. She was such a terrific and dignified lady. We were privileged to witness her as a wife, mother, and grandmother. We hope that you have many wonderful memories of her. She will be sorely missed by a great many people. Love The Fediw Family.

Dear Isumov family,

Though I have never met Lana in person, I’ve heard great stories about her from Peter and Inna, and know how she is loved by many people.
She was kind, caring and loving Lady. It is a terrible loos.. .
It brings some comfort to know that she is in her real home now, greeted by the loved ones who went there before her.

Sincerely,
Larisa

My godmother, Aunt Svetlana was a firecracker, and an artist with golden hands, with the warmest heart. Her singing voice was on-key, and reliable in choir, and in earlier years she filled in and directed the choir when called upon.

From my earliest recollections of her, she set the best table i have ever seen, or supped at, and her culinary artistry was unmatched, despite serious contenders in the extended family.

A Christmas feast in the 1960’s was when i first noticed her attention to details in everything she did. Despite the work required to prepare the many courses of meals that could only be acknowledged as “events”, even every cookie / biscuit was individually and uniquely adorned with her artful embossing. It was one of countless sumptuous feasts Svetlana prepared

As a gourmet of the highest order, she had a remarkable repertoire of kitchen magic, and her household was always organized and impeccably well kept, despite the chaos of three active children, and a large passel of nieces and nephews.

Never were her hands idle. To say that she gardened would be an understatement. She grew a great deal of her own vegetables, and had lovely flowerbeds to boot. Canning preserves of vegetables, jams, and more, she practised a discipline of self sufficiency, for as long as her frame supported her. Her children learned well from her example.

As a survivor of famine and war, she did not dwell on the many losses so many of us felt, she kept moving forward in her life, actively, until she could no longer maintain the efforts.

Svetlana kept a loving and peaceful shelter for her family. She never lost sight of the importance of defending a home against the onslaught of the busy world. It was a spiritual anchor for her family and no minor spiritual accomplishment for Svetlana herself.

All the words above however, fail to describe the wonderful and loving person Aunt Svetlana has been, and the depth of her caring character for us all. She was devoted to her husband, children, her faith and extended family to a fault.

I will miss her much as I miss my own mother, and loath the distractions that interfered with my visiting more often than i did.

If you didn’t feel at-home when visiting the Isyumov household, you were likely at the wrong address.

My Aunt Svetlana was a gift to us all.

Eternal memory!

We had the privilege of meeting Lana in 1970 when Nick and I worked together at Western. We hit it off instantly as Lana was able to keep up with the boys in the consumption of Vodka in the traditional Russian style -ice cold and in shot glasses. We were also most impressed by how she prepared the dough for the traditional Russian Easter cake – in a baby’s bath tub. She was a great mother to her three children and loving wife to a stubborn, but wonderful man. Needless to say, we became the best of friends during our brief stay in London (4 1/4 years), but remained so over the years and have kept in close contact. Her loss is a great tragedy for all those who had come to really know her. She will remain in hearts and minds. The Jandali’s

We are so very sorry for the loss of our dear aunt Lana. Uncle Nick and cousins Nina, Vera and Peter – please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.