Kenai Peninsula Borough AK Archives Cemetery ..... Transfiguration of Our Lord Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Ninilchik, Alaska

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TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CEMETERY
Ninilchik, Alaska

The Transfiguration of Our Lord Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Ninilchik, Kenai Peninsula 
Borough, Alaska is located next to the Transfiguration of Our Lord Chapel. The road accessing it 
is between mile 134 and 135 on the Sterling Highway. Coming from Soldotna, turn right 
immediately after the yellow blinking caution light just before the Ninilchik River Scenic Outlook 
Alaska State Park that is on the left. The cemetery is located on Coal Road. Coal Road is 
unsigned.

The crosses, unless otherwise noted, are Russian Orthodox crosses. The cross is at the head of 
the grave and the marker is at the foot of grave so that when the person is raised they will be 
facing the cross. A Russian Orthodox cross has a slanted foot piece with the left side raised in 
remembrance of the thief who was forgiven by Jesus and therefore went to heaven.

The pages in parenthesis, following a name, indicate the page on which that person is found in 
the book Agrafena's Children: the Old Families of Ninilchik, Alaska edited by Wayne Leman. The 
edition used was published in 1993 and is found in the Kenai Community Library, Kenai, Alaska 
call number ALASKA 929.3798 AGR

This cemetery was last read April 20, 2002. Additional information provided January 23, 2003.
338

ROW 1 (Behind the church)
1. Memory Eternal
Beloved Servant of God
The Reverend Father
Michael Garassim Oskolkoff
Nov 14, 1893 - Jul 14, 1981
(Agrafena page 444, 446)
2. Memory Eternal
Beloved Mother
Matushka Zoya Oskolkoff
wife of Rev. Father Michael
May 14, 1902 - Oct 14, 1984
(Agrafena page 446)
3. Simeon G. Oskolkoff
Church Starosta 30 yrs.
May 10, 1901 - Jan 8, 1968
"Remember Us O Lord When Thou
Comest Unto Thy Kingdom"
(Simeon Oskolkoff was the church
starosta (pronounced STAR-osta).
This is equivalent to a caretaker and
grounds keeper, responsible for
keeping the fire going, the bell in
ringing condition and preparing the
church for services when the Priest is
coming. He was the people's contact
with the Priest and assumed a lot of
responsibilities for the church and its
operation. Agrafena page 470, 477)

ROW 2 (Nearest the side of the church)
4. Ralph Reuben Cooper
Jul 15, 1941 - Sep 20, 1958
Loving brother & son.
All who knew him loved him
(Agrafena page 315)
In Loving Memory of
Reuben Cooper
1941 - 1958
Ninilchik High School & Friends
(The above marker was in place in
1983 and was replaced by the above)
5. Fenced grave with cross
(Identified as a sister or aunt of Irene
Leman.)
6. Beloved Mother
Irene C. Leman
March 19, 1895 - June 22, 1985
(Agrafena page 352)
7. Mae Leman
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
Died as an infant about 1918 of)
influenza. Small fenced grave with
cross. Agrafena page 352)
8. Simeon Kvasnikoff
Aug 11, 1965
80 years old
(Mortuary Marker
Agrafena page 292, 293)
GROUP (Grouped together near the
American Legion Cemetery.)
9. Grassim Oskolkoff
PFC US Army
World War II
Oct. 14, 1926 - May 26, 1998
(Posted American Legion marker.
Grassim is the marker spelling. This is
a variance from the spelling of his
father's middle name "Garassim" on
grave number 1. Agrafena page 446,
454 )
10. Ralph Michael Oskolkoff
Sep 29, 1935 - Dec 4, 1995
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God. Matt. 5:8
(Agrafena page 447)
10a Michael Michael Oskolkoff
Jul 19, 1931 - Sep 3, 2001
Age 70
(Mortuary marker. Agrafena page 447)
11. Remembered Forever
Allen Alexander Oskolkoff
Mar. 12, 1941 - Oct 8, 1982
(Agrafena page 447, 462)
12. Gus M. Oskolkoff
US Army World War II
Jun 2, 1925 - Feb 12, 1995
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena 446, 453)
339
13. Memory Eternal
Wayne John Woodhead
Jun 21, 1928 - Aug 27, 1994
Beloved husband, Father &
Grandfather
Gone Fishing
(Agrafena page 450)
14. Frank William Reifsnyder
Lt Col US Air Force
World War II Korea Vietnam
Mar 24, 1924 - Oct 31, 1987
(Posted American Legion marker
Agrafena page 457)

ROW 3 (Begins near the gate at the front of the church)
14a. Fedora Mae Encelewski
May 9, 1919 - Sep 10, 2002
Beloved mother
15. Katherine J. Culhane (Katya)
Jan 27, 1978 - Dec 9, 1993
Holy Mother of God Pray for us
Most loved daughter sister friend
Dancing with angels
(Agrafena page 310a, 310b)
16. Gift of God
Matthew Troy Encelewski
Apr 5, 1975 - May 27, 1992
(Copyright Agrafena page, 312)
17. Jamie Lynn Encelewski
Jul 27, 1980 - Feb. 24, 1981
(Agrafena page 310b)
18. Cindy Lou Encelewski
January 18, 1957
(Daughter of Ned and Fedora
Encelewski, who died at the age of
five days. Agrafena page 307)
19. Clyde Oskolkoff
September 11, 1942
(Baby son of Larry and Fedora
Oskolkoff. Agrafena page 307)
20. In Loving Memory
Frank Cooper
Jul 4, 1889 - May 28, 1956
Life is not forever love is
(Agrafena page 126, 138)
21. Small fenced gravesite with cross
22. Small fenced gravesite with cross
23. Small fenced gravesite with cross and
pastel flowers.
24. Father
Ralph Cooper
Feb 24, 1915 - Sep 6, 1948
(Agrafena page 138)
25. In Loving Memory
Barbara Cooper
1893 - 1930
Mother
(Agrafena page 138)
27. Matrona
b. Apr. 3, 1894 - d. Jun 26, 1928
(Identified as Matrona (Cooper)
Resoff wife of Mike Resoff. Agrafena
page 126)
28. Cross with lavender flowers
29. Cross
30. Cross
31. Cross near bush
32. Cross near bush
33. Cross

ROW 4 (Begins near the fence at the front of the church)
34. Harry Leman
Sgt. US Army Air Forces
World War II
Oct. 11, 1922 - Dec. 1, 1999
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 352, 395)
35. Isaac Cooper
(Unmarked. Identified by resident. Son
of Frank and Barbara Cooper. Broken
cross. Agrafena page 138, 143)
340
36. Alfred Joseph Cooper
(Innokenty)
May 22, 1897 - Mar. 15, 1980
(Innokenty is Alfred's Russian
Orthodox baptismal name. Agrafena
page 177)
37. Betty (Cooper) Hester
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
George Cooper's sister. Fenced grave
site with cross and pink flowers.
Agrafena page 138, 146)
38. George Cooper
1913 - 1973
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 138)
39. In Memory of
Michael Resoff
1889 - 1938
(Agrafena page 507)
40. In Loving Memory
Elizabeth Cooper Churkin
1872 - 1937
Grandmother
(Agrafena page 126)
PATH
41. Cross
42. Cross with a green base
43. Cross with wooden fan at the bottom
44. Short cross

ROW 5 Begins near the fence with a double
grave surrounded by a lattice fence.
45. Dwayne Perry Hatton
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
Died in February 2001 at the age of
41. Lattice fenced plot. Agrafena page
479)
46. Wendell Scott 'Scotty' Arneson
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
Died in December 2000 at the age of
31. Lattice fenced plot. Dwayne and
Wendell were half brothers.)
47. Emil Kvasnikoff
Jan 29, 1936 - June 2, 2000
(Lettering on cross. Agrafena page
490)
48. Malina Curtis
(Unmarked. Identified as Emil
Kvasnikoff's mother. Yellow flowers on
the cross Agrafena page 471, 489,
492)
BIG SPACE BEFORE THE TREE
48a. Mound near the tree Identified by
residents as a grave.
49. Cross leaning against a tree
50. "Loving Dad"
Walter Jackinsky Sr.
1891 - 1950
(Agrafena page 216)
51 Adolph Jackinsky
1924 - 1940
Loving son & brother
(Agrafena page 217)
52. Mother
Mary Oskolkoff
1897 - 1932
(Unmarked. Formerly identified by a
resident as Mary (Oskolkoff)
Jackinsky Linstrang. Next to her is her
sister Effie. They are in a double
grave surrounded by a single fence.
Agrafena page 216, 470)
53. Loving Memory of Mother - 
Effie Demidoff
1900 - 1932
(Agrafena page 470, 474)
PATH
54. Cross with flowers at the base
55. Cross with trefoils at the ends of the
cross pieces.
56. Very short cross
SMALL TREE
341
57. Slender cross with treated wood at the
base
58. Small fenced grave with cross
59. Cross with a wreath hanging on the
top piece
60. Cross with a wreath that matches
number 59.
(Could be Gerasim Alekseich
Oskolkoff and Anastasia
(Kalashnikoff) Oskolkoff the parents
of Father Michael Garassim
Oskolkoff. Agrafena page 444)
61. Cross
62. Cross with poinsettias tied to it.

ROW 6 (Begins near the center of the
cemetery near the path between cross with
yellow flowers and Effie Demidoff's double
grave.)
63. Give rest, O Lord, Where all thy Saints
Repose
Apr 9, 1877 - Aug 17, 1963
Loving Babushka
Matrona B. Oskolkoff
Memory Eternal
(Agrafena page 470)
PATH
64. Cross with slanted base piece
65. Fenced with flowers at the top of the
cross
66. Small fenced grave with cross
66a. Cross with moss on the cross bar
FLAGGED REBAR STAKE
67. _______ Oskolkoff
(Spirit house with cross. Known as
Uncle Oskolkoff)
68. Cross
69. Cross with poinsettias tied on
70. Tall slender cross
71. Cross
72. Cross
73. Very tall cross

ROW 7 (Begins near the fence in front of the
church with a fenced double grave.)
74. Greater Love Hath no Man Than This
Stanley R. Steik
Loving father and brother
US Marine Corp
Jan 30, 1937 - Aug 19, 1974
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena pages 523, 536)
75. Paula Michelle Steik
Loving daughter and sister
Nov 8, 1962 - Aug 19, 1974
(Paula Steik was swimming in a local
lake. When she began to drown, her
father, Stanley, left another daughter
on the beach to save her but they both
drowned. They are buried in a double
fenced gravesite. Agrafena page 536)
76. Julia Steik
1903 Mother 1969
(Agrafena pages 52, 207)
77. Christopher Steik
1902 Father 1967
Together Forever
(Julia and Christopher are on a double
marker. Agrafena page 522.)
78.. In Memory of
Christine Bloom
A very special lady
Mar 19, 1951 - Mar 6, 1996
(The small metal marker is inside the
same fence with her parents Julia and
Christopher Steik. Agrafena page 524)
79. Cross with broken fence and concrete
foot piece
(Thought to be two Steik children
buried here.)
342
80. Charles T. Curtis
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
Born Nov. 11, 1893. Died Sep 15,
1955. Cross with flowers attached
with small bare wood Latin cross in
front. Agrafena page 471, 489)
81. Cross with plastic heart and lavender
flowers.
82. Cross with plastic heart and yellow
flowers
PATH
83. Fedora (Kompkoff) Crawford
(Unmarked. Identified as wife of
Michael Crawford. Small fenced
gravesite with pink flowers on the
cross. Pink plastic "Grandma" inside
the fence. Agrafena pages 90, 207)
PATH
84. Cross is lying against a flagged rebar
stake
85. Cross with flagged rebar stake at the
cross base.
87. Cross
88. Small fenced grave with cross and
yellow flowers
89. Small fenced grave with cross and
yellow flowers in a vase
90. Small fenced grave with a cross

ROW 8 (Begins near the fence in front of the church)
91. Irene K. Kraskoff
1906 - 1981
(Known as "Mrs. Sam.")
92. Sam Kraskoff
Apr 17, 1889 - Oct 5, 1964
93. Grave with cross bordered with wood
and filled with wood chips
(Posted American Legion marker.
Thought to be Ernest Matson.
Agrafena page 418)
94. Grave with cross bordered with wood
and filled with wood chips.
(Could be Larry Matson the brother
of Ernest. Agrafena page 417)
95. Dennis Earl Matson
Loving Son & Brother
Aug 24, 1955 - Oct 31, 1963
(Agrafena page 169)
96. Charlie J. Cooper
1892 - 1956
Father
(Agrafena page 158)
97. Peter Cooper
1920 - 1955
"Beyond the gate a loved on Finds
happiness and rest And there is
comfort in the thought That a Loving
God knows best"
(Plate attached to the cross.
Agrafena page 158)
98. Alexandria Cooper
1902 - 1948
Mother
(Agrafena page 158)
99. Loving mother & sister
Jeanne Cooper
Apr. 22, 1928 - Sept. 11, 1992
(Jeanne Cooper married a Matson.
Agrafena pages 159, 168)
PATH
100. Lilies fastened to the cross
101. White plastic crucifix on the cross with
red flowers
102. Broken cross
103. Purple wreath hanging on the cross
(102 & 103 are a double grave)
343
104. Ilya Kvasnikoff
1908 - 1909
(Small fenced grave. Identified by
Bobbie Oskolkoff)
105. Vera
(Cross. Identifed by Bobbie Oskolkoff)
106. Matrona
(Cross with poinsettias. Identified by
Bobbie Oskolkoff)
107. Sophie Dayou Kvasnikoff
(Broken cross pieces next to flagged
rebar. Identified by Bobbie Oskolkoff)
108. Larry Kvasnikoff
(Cross missing its top cross piece.
Identified by Bobbie Oskolkoff.)

ROW 9 (Begins near the fence in front of the church)
109. Beloved Brother, Father & Uncle
Grady Eugene Matson
June 18, 1947 - March 19, 1998
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 168)
110. Cross with fenced grave filled with
wood chips.
111. Charlie J. Cooper, Jr.
Apr 15, 1931 - Sep 3, 1974
(Agrafena page 159)
112. Martin Cooper
1922 - 1973
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 158)
113. Ronnie M. Cooper
1944 - 1972
(Agrafena page 166)
114. Sally Ann Carter
1924 - 1968
(Agrafena page 158)
115. Arthur Richardson
Son of Sally Ann Carter
(Mortuary type marker. Agrafena page
160)
116. Cross with hanging blue flowers
117. "Groonia"
Agrippina Kvasnikoff Cook
1910 Mom 1929
(Agrafena pages 325, 329)
118. Lloyd Cook
1929 Son 1998
(Agrippina and Lloyd are on a double
stone. Agrafena page 329)
119. "Beloved Mother"
Fekla Kvasnikoff
1907 - 1925
(Agrafena page 325)
120. Alexander Kvasnikoff
Aug 1881 - Feb 16, 1925
(Agrafena page 298)
121. Leaning cross with blue flowers
122. Fred Kvasnikoff
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
Died in the 1940s about the same
time as John Astrogin. May be
Agrafena page 294)
123. Stake next to flagged rebar
124. John Astrogin
(Unmarked. Identified by resident
aka Ostrogin who died in the 1940s.
Cross with a plastic crucifix and red
and yellow flowers at the base.
Agrafena page 24)
125. Elmer Kelly
(Unmarked. Identified as son of
James and Irene Kelly. Concrete slab
Agrafena page 266, 272)
126. James Robert Kelly
Father
1850 - 1932
(Agrafena page 266)
127. Irene Kelly
Mother
1882 - 1945
The Lord is my Shepherd
(Double stone with Russian Orthodox
crosses on each side. Agrafena page
266)
344
128. "In Loving Memory"
Martha Kelly Mills
1911 - 1994
(After copyright Agrafena page,
Agrafena page 267, 285)
129. Victor James Kelly
T Sgt US Army
World War II
Oct. 5, 1908 - Oct 18, 2000
(Agrafena page 266)
130. Cross with trefoils
131. Cross with trefoils
132. Cross with trefoils. Top broken, bright
pink flowers

ROW 10 (Begins in the front corner of the
cemetery with two small Latin crosses)
133. Kenneth Seymour
(Unmarked. Identified by resident.
Worked for the road department. Latin
cross.)
134. Lars Odman
(Identified by resident. Died in the 40s.
It is not remembered which man is in
which grave. Latin cross with large
bush growing on the grave.
Agrafena page 210)
135. Victor V. Cooper
Nov. 3, 1942 - Aug 5, 1977
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 159)
136. Andrew C. Cooper
Oct 24, 1938 - Apr 14, 1976
(Agrafena page 159)
137. Leroy Cooper
Sep 28, 1946 - Apr 16, 1976
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 166)
138. Katherine (Kvasnikoff) Cooper
Kvasnikoff
(Unmarked. Identified by resident. Her
first husband was Martin Cooper. She
then married a Kvasnikoff. Cross with
purple flowers. Agrafena page 489)
139. Eleanor Mae Cooper
1925-1998
Memory Eternal
(Agrafena page 177)
140. Melvin Don Cooper
June 12, 1948 - April 10, 1996
Loving husband, father, brother & son
"Christ has Risen from the Dead
trampling down Death by Death
and upon those in the tombs
Bestowing life."
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 316)
141. Mike Kvasnikoff
CPL US Army
Korea
1929 - 1991
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 299)
PATH
142. Fred Kvasnikoff
Apr 23, 1909 - Nov 4, 1974
(Agrafena page 298)
143. Loving Memory of Mother
Mary Kvasnikoff
1893 - 1973
(Agrafena page 298)
144. Abraham Kvasnikoff
Jan 28, 1921 - Jul 8, 1972
(Posted American Legion marker.
Agrafena page 299)
145. Cross with plastic crucifix and red
flowers. Small fenced grave with
green tipped pickets.
146. In Loving Memory
Son
Adam M. Demidoff
Nov. 1962 - July 1990
"Blessed are the Pure in Heart for they
shall see God. Matt 5:8"
(Agrafena page 476)
345

ROW 11 (First graves to the right of the path
nearest the Coal Road gate)
146a. Nadia K. Oskolkoff
Oct. 8, 1911 - Mar. 9, 2003
(Information from her obituary
Peninsula Clarion March 20, 2003)
147. In Loving Memory
Dorothy E. O'Brien
May 29, 1915 - Oct 22, 1985
Beloved wife of Tom R. O'Brien
(Agrafena page 281)
148. Loving Daughter & Sister
Sylvia J. Liebenthal
Apr 26, 1952 - Feb 14, 1993
"Blessed are the poor in spirit for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matt
5:3"
(Agrafena page 316, 317)
149. Susie Liebenthal
May 29, 1923 - Nov. 3, 1994
Loving Wife and Mother
"Mine was a garden of hope that good
fruits I may bring to God's great
harvesting"
(Agrafena page 315)
150. Edward W. Liebenthal
Dec 10, 1918 - Jan 23, 2003