[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 20, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E926-E927]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO MRS. VALENTINA UMANETS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK METCALF

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 20, 1998

  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
constituent of mine, Mrs. Valentina Umanets of Bellingham, Washington. 
Valentina passed away at her home on Friday, May 15th 1998. Valentina 
was instrumental to the Sister Cities agreement between Bellingham, 
Washington in my district and Nakhodka in eastern Russia.
  In 1989, long before Perestroika allowed for the openness that is now 
sweeping across Russia, Valentina worked to bring about the Sister City 
agreement. She worked as the central staff member for the City of 
Nakhodka on this agreement. In 1993, Valentina immigrated to the United 
States at the request of Western Washington University and the City of 
Bellingham to enhance the Sister City program. Because of Valentina's 
hard work on this project, Bellingham and Nakhodka now have a vibrant 
Sister City agreement that has flourished in recent years with many 
valuable exchanges between the local governments, businesses and the 
citizens of these two communities.
  Valentina worked as a Professor of Russian at Western Washington 
University, and had recently completed work on a new text book for 
teaching the Russian language. She was loved by her students, and her 
home always had visitors from either the University or the many Russian 
immigrants that call Bellingham and Whatcom County home. She was always 
willing to help those in the community that were in need of assistance 
with a government agency, a school or those that just needed something 
translated.
  She also held events at the University and parties at her home to 
celebrate the rich Russian culture. Most recently, Valentina organized 
``An Evening of Russian Romance'' at the University which featured 
Russian dance and music. The food for the evening was carefully 
prepared in Valentina's kitchen by her students and friends, but always 
under her watchful eye. Her home would be open each New Years Eve for a 
Russian celebration of one of the big holidays in Russia. On March 8th 
of each year, Valentina would again play host to a party in celebration 
of Womens Day, again an event of great importance in Russia.
  Several American men in the Bellingham area, including a member of my 
staff, have married Russian women, and Valentina was often of great 
help for these couples as they worked to overcome cultural differences. 
She became a ``den mother'' of sorts to these women that were so far 
from home and their own mothers. Valentina was a very happy, caring 
person.
  Mr. Speaker, the citizens of both Bellingham and Nakhodka have 
suffered a great loss with the passing of Valentina. She has started a 
wonderful program between these two cities, and has kept it going to 
the point that it will continue to prosper without her. But to those 
that have already made friends across the vast Pacific or to those that 
will in the future, a great deal of thanks is owed to Valentina 
Umanets.
  Mr. Speaker, Valentina is survived by her husband Eugene of 
Bellingham; her daughter

[[Page E927]]

Erika of Sumas; her son Stanislav of Nakhodka and two grandchildren. 
Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend my condolences as well as that of my 
staff to her family. She was loved by many and will be missed by all.

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