Lillian Oka Tcherkassky

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=lil...

LILLIAN OKA TCHERKASSKY (Age 95)

On Friday, October 21, 2016 Lillian Oka Tcherkassky peacefully passed away in her home in Kensington, Maryland where she resided for over 50 years. Beloved widow of Alexis N. Tcherkassky (1904-1980); mother of Michael A. Tcherkassky of Acton, Ca. and daughters Elizabeth Shaw of Columbia, Md. and Marianna Tcherkassky Orr of Pittsburgh, Pa. She is also survived by four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Lillian was born in Seattle, Washington, July 1,1921 to Thomas S. and Suma Oka of Japan and grew up in Oakland, Ca. where she graduated from Castlemont High School with honors in 1939. Lillian pursued a career in ballet and was offered a scholarship by Bernice Holmes in Chicago. Lillian went on to dance professionally with the Chicago Opera Ballet, Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin, and the Grande Ballet de Monte Carlo. After settling in Kensington, Md. in the 1950's she opened her own ballet studio where she taught for many years inspiring, training and shaping the lives of many students including her daughter Marianna, who was a Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre from 1976-1996. Lillian's family would like to gratefully acknowledge her caregiver for the past 23 years, Maria Louisa Canubas with her family and the dear friends who helped care for our mother with love and smiles in her later years. Graveside service will be held at 10 a.m., on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at St. Paul's Rock Creek Cemetery. Donations in Lillian's memory can be sent to St. Nicholas Cathedral Office, 3500 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007.