My mother, Bronya, was born in Chernobyl on September 1, 1935. Her mother, Tsila, died giving birth to mom and her father, Isaac, immediately gave mom up for adoption, losing contact with her thereafter due to WWII.  Mom grew up in an orphanage.  During the war, her orphanage was evacuated to Sverdlovsk in the Urals.   As a tomboy, a survivor, a fighter, a singer, not a good student, and Jewish all wrapped up into one miniature package, mom realized that her only way out of the orphanage was going to trade school so that is exactly what she did.  She left the orphanage at the age of 16. With her hands of gold, mom paved her way through life as a skilled blue-collar worker who was highly regarded by her bosses and peers. She married at a young age and after years of trying to get pregnant unsuccessfully, she filed for divorce and left her first husband.  All these years, she searched for her lost family throughout the former Soviet Union and luckily got a lead through a radio show specializing in finding relatives lost in the turmoil of war.  The radio show host found her stepmother and her father 's children all living in Kiev.  In 1965, at the age of 30, she reunited with her family in Kiev.  Subsequently, she met my father, married him, and finally realized her dream of parenthood and having a family of her own.  She never got to meet her father, who died two years prior to mom's reunion with her family. 
In 1978, at the age of 45, my parents immigrated to the USA.  Mom immediately got a job to support her family. Mom was a highly motivated, hard-working, kind, and loving tough cookie. Despite her broken English, she made strong connections with people and was loved by all who came across her. She was especially loved by babies and had a soothing touch that could calm any crying baby.
Mom, you fought and succeeded, leaving the legacy of a loving, united family front. We love and miss you already.

Donations in Bronya’s memory may be made to The Hospice Foundation of WNY.