Anna Matzov of Kingston, Ontario, died unexpectedly on Jan. 16, 2022 at the age of 88. Vibrant, intelligent, warm, and inspiring, Anna was a remarkable woman. Despite facing extreme adversity and many challenges during her life, she was a woman of great substance and heart; her talents were many. She lived several lives in her lifetime.
Anna was born on Dec. 24, 1933 in Pinsk, Poland (now Pinsk, Belarus). She is predeceased by her parents (Josef and Freida Furman) and her husband (Leonid Matzov). She is survived by her brother Gabriel Furman (Zipora), her children Avi Matzov (Kathryn), Irit Matzov (George) and Ron Matzov and her grandchildren Simon, Ian, Rebecca and Jonathon Matzov (Cassie). Anna was a devoted and loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend.
Anna grew up under Stalin鈥檚 rule and the aftermath of the Russian Revolution. Around the age of seven, she and her family were exiled to Siberia; a very cold and unforgiving purgatory where many perished. Even as a child, she found beauty under appalling conditions: the family cow was her best friend and she developed a lifelong love for birch trees typical of Siberia. Miraculously (and ironically), Stalin saved their lives while the rest of her family in Poland tragically perished under Hitler.
In 1946, she and her family wound up at a displaced person鈥檚 camp in Germany for four years where she started her high school studies. In 1950, they immigrated to the new state of Israel. Anna embraced her new country and life, quickly mastering Hebrew (her 5th of 6 languages). After serving in the army, she earned her first degree in 1956 (Physics, Math & Statistics) at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She followed her passion for teaching, earning her Teaching diploma a few years later. Anna started her illustrious teaching career by successfully preparing future high school math teachers at the Teaching Seminary in Tel-Aviv. At the time, they also needed a university degree. Anna broke new ground through her approach, resulting in the prerequisite for a degree being removed and establishing a new course for the Seminary and future high school math teachers. In 1967, Anna, her husband and young family immigrated to Canada, settling in Kingston in 1968 where she embarked on a new career path. In 1970, she earned a BA Honours (Russian and Math) from Queen鈥檚 University followed by her MA (1973) and PhD (1984) in Slavonic Studies from the University of Ottawa.
Anna taught Russian language and literature at Queen鈥檚 for 30 years. She also introduced Scientific Russian, an innovative course which she taught at Queen鈥檚 and the Royal Military College.
Throughout her distinguished academic career, Anna taught and contributed to professional literature and was part of the Learned Societies. She was a recognized authority on Boris Pasternak (Dr. Zhivago), and Mikhail Bakhtin and Literary Criticism. Her teaching attracted and inspired students from many disciplines.
A fiercely independent thinker, Anna was a pragmatic optimist with a warm heart and querying mind. Her personal trials and tribulations, from wars to health challenges, strengthened her resolve and resilience to make the best of things. 鈥淣ever a dull moment鈥 as she would often say. Enlightened and passionate about learning, she was an inspiration, catalyst and cheerleader for many. She had a genuine interest in people of all ages and backgrounds, forging many friendships throughout her life. She found solace in family and friends. She was drawn to the many expressions of creativity, from art, music and literature to teaching, cooking and developing young minds.
Anna valued family, friendship, loyalty, authenticity, originality, an open mind and a good soul. She strove 鈥 and succeeded 鈥 to inspire many a mind and heart to be our best selves and make the most of life. She never stopped expanding her mind 鈥 she was truly 鈥渁n amazing work in progress.鈥
Anna was dearly loved and will be greatly missed.