Nadejda Nikolaevna Soudakova
Nadejda “Nadezhda” Nikolaevna Soudakova passed away January 10, 2018 in Anadyr, Russia, after a lengthy illness.
Nadejda Rakhtugie was born March 29, 1947, at Lavrentiya, Chukotka, Russia and reared from age two until seven in her grandmother’s traditional home at Nevuqaq, a Naukan Siberian Yupik village at Cape Dezhnev, about 30 miles from the Diomede Islands. Her grandfather is buried at Little Diomede, which was his home. At age seven she moved to Provideniya. There she began her formal education and began to learn Russian as a second language.
After graduating from high school in 1966, Nadejda went to college in Anadyr earning certification as an elementary school teacher. After finishing college, she started her career by substitute teaching in the villages, then teaching in an Elementary School.
She studied Native languages and culture and became a specialist in the methodology of teaching Native languages and culture. She spoke Naukan Yupik and Siberian St. Lawrence Yupik languages.
From 1975 to 1989 Nadejda taught life skills and art while being a dorm parent for younger grades at the Boarding School for students with learning disabilities while studying at the Institute to earn certification as a special education teacher. During this time she married and had a son, Igor.
From 1989 to 1994 Nadejda was the Chief Helper for Ethnicity Relations in Provideniya. From 1994 to 1999, Nadejda became the Director of the Boarding School for students with learning disabilities.
Nadejda met Victor Goldsberry of Nome on one of his Russian visits, which led to her move to Nome and their marriage in June of 2001 at the Nome Courthouse.
Nome Public Schools hired Nadejda in August of 2002 as a Bilingual Instructor at the Nome Elementary and later, at Nome-Beltz Jr./Sr. High School, she was the Native Art and Culture teacher until her retirement in February 2015. During her employment with NPS, she continued studying by taking classes at Northwest Campus UAF. She became a United States citizen in 2009.
During her life in Nome, Nadejda assisted families both in Chukotka and Alaska by translating Russian to English and vice versa. She worked at the Bering Sea Women’s Shelter for many years.
Nadejda loved the outdoors and aerobic swimming. She would be out cross country skiing every chance she got, usually weekly, weather permitting. With the spring melt, she would be out looking for lingonberries and bog cranberries from the previous fall. After she picked enough berries, her favorite thing to do was to make a fire, bring out a lunch, and brew tea. In spring and summer she liked to beachcomb and pick greens. She knew many kinds of greens for eating and medicinal purposes. One summer she learned to cut fish for drying. In late summer and fall she loved to pick mushrooms and, of course, was out berry-picking again. She often mashed up blueberries and cranberries to put in her tea for flavor and vitamins. Her favorite was the cranberry.
She was always in a great mood when outdoors. If there were kids to go along, it was better yet. When her grandson, brother, sister and niece visited from Russia, she included them in her outdoor activities. As it became more difficult, she would still insist on skiing or walking as far as she could go.
She enjoyed Eskimo dancing whether it was with a troupe from Chukotka or with local dancers. Nadejda loved getting together with other Russian friends in Nome to share their cultural food and traditions.
After Victor’s passing and as her illness progressed, Nadejda moved back to Provideniya in June 2015.
Nadejda is survived by her son Igor and his son Daniel in Anadyr. She is also survived by extended family in Provideniya and by relatives of the late Victor Goldsberry.
