In Loving Memory of Maiia Bishaeva
May 26, 1931 – October 16, 2025

With deep sorrow and abiding love, we announce the passing of Maiia Bishaeva, a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who left us peacefully on October 16, 2025, at the age of 94.

Maiia (née Chastukhina) was born on May 26, 1931, in the settlement of Mangou along the China Eastern Railway, where her parents had immigrated from Ukraine in the early 20th century and built a successful meat processing business. In 1935, after the sale of the railway by the Soviet Union, the family moved to the city of Chardzhou, Turkmen SSR (now the nation of Turkmenistan).

After finishing high school, Maiia attended the Chardzhou River Technical School, where she met her future husband, Stanislav. They married soon after graduation, and in 1952 welcomed their son, Igor. That same year, Stanislav left for Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) to continue his education at the Water Transport Institute. Two years later, he moved the family to Saratov, Russia.

In 1961, after the couple separated, Maiia and Igor relocated to her father's hometown of Kostroma, where she lived until 1986. She then moved to Moscow to help Igor raise his two young children, Alina and Paul, following the untimely passing of Igor's wife. Maiia became the heart of the family, lovingly stepping in to guide and nurture her grandchildren as if they were her own children. Later, she also helped Alina raise her two sons, Stepan and Timur, ultimately devoting herself to four generations of family.

While Igor's work took him around the world, Maiia remained in Moscow, surrounded by her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Those were some of the happiest years of her life. After Igor's move to the United States, she visited him twice - reuniting for the first time with her cousins Svyatoslav and Irine, who had emigrated from China to the U.S. in the 1950s.

At age 86, when she could no longer live alone, Maiia moved permanently to the United States to be with Igor. She quickly embraced her new home - staying active, deeply engaged with her family and remarkably computer-savvy well into her late 80s. She fell in love with her new country and her church, joyfully taking part in parish life and preparing her famous Russian dishes for church celebrations.

Even after several surgeries, she showed extraordinary resilience and faith. Only a stroke in 2023 slowed her down, marking the beginning of a gentle decline. Through it all, Maiia remained surrounded by love, prayer, and gratitude.

Maiia lived a long and meaningful life - one of kindness, devotion, and grace. As a dear family friend said, hers was "a life without a false note."

Rest in peace, Maiia, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

We love you deeply, miss you dearly, and will hold you forever in our hearts.

Funeral services for Maiia will be held on Monday, October 20, at 11:00 a.m . at Poway-Bernardo Mortuary, 13243 Poway Rd, Poway, CA . A repast mea l will follow at approximately 12:30 p.m . in the St. John of Damascus Orthodox Church Hal l at 16903 Espola Rd, Poway, CA.