Zoia Tomash

Zoia was born on May 1, 1938 into the family of Pavel and Efrosinia Sevastianovi, her birthplace being Petrovski Village Council, Chelyabinsk Oblast, in Russia. She grew up with her younger sister Lydia and brothers, Aleksi, Alexander, Nikolai & Gennadi. After excelling in school particularly in the area of science, Zoia received a placement to work and study in Kyiv, Ukraine. In Kyiv she was able to start a family with her husband Volodymyr Semeno and gave birth to her only daughter Iryna. After Volodymyr died, Zoia met and married the love of her life, Vsevolod Tomash, who became the chief of the liquidation efforts of the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion and lost his life as a result of radiation exposure in 1986. Zoia has dedicated her life to preserving Vsevolod's professional legacy and continued to do good works in his memory. 

Having become a life-long Ukrainian resident and later a proud citizen of independent Ukraine, Zoia built a career in the Energy industry spanning decades. Starting as a chemical engineer, she went on to oversee the construction and maintenance of several key power stations in Kyiv and across Ukraine and eventually became an official with the Ukraine's Ministry of Energy. She was also a part of the Ukrainian delegation of cogeneration scientists, travelling to countries in need to help build and maintain civilian infrastructure, specifically cogeneration plants. She has received multiple honors and awards for her work in the field of cogeneration, and has been named an Honorary Power Engineer of Ukraine. 

After retiring from the Energy Ministry in the late 1990's Zoia decided to reinvent herself and spent several years working in a financial investment firm. She continued to travel and see the world, visiting her daughter and granddaughters in the United States, whenever she could. One of her proudest professional achievements, while in retirement, was founding a non-profit supporting the veterans of the cogeneration industry, ensuring that they would be remembered and cared for, and helping them secure retirement benefits. Zoia lovingly referred to the clients of her non-profit as "my veterans" and worried about them until the last days of her life. 

On February 24, 2022, like many of her fellow Ukrainians, Zoia woke up to the sounds of Russian rockets attacking her home town of Kyiv and firefights on the streets. She loved Ukraine with all her heart and could not believe that the vital energy infrastructure that she helped build was being deliberately destroyed by a neighboring country where she was born. As attacks intensified, Zoia realized that she was in danger of never seeing her loved ones again. Recovering from a recent heart surgery Zoia was restricted from walking more than 600 steps a day, but at the insistence of her family and with the help of brave volunteers from the church rescue mission "Love and Healing" Zoia was evacuated to the Polish border that she walked across alongside with thousands of other seniors, women and children seeking safety from war. She was met by her daughter Iryna and granddaughter Alexandra in the city of Rzeszow, Poland and on March 9, 2022 she landed safely in the United States. 

Since Spring 2022, Zoia has been living with her daughter Iryna in Jersey City, surrounded by her close family. She was one of several Ukrainian refugees that suddenly found themselves in Jersey City as a result of war. Thanks to the incredible efforts of Ukrainian Jersey City, Razom for Ukraine and Riverside Church, Zoia was able to surround herself with an amazing community of friends and build a vibrant and active life. She participated in all charity and advocacy events in support of Ukraine that she could, and diligently attended English classes. Zoia's greatest joy came from being able to celebrate birthdays and holidays and other important milestones in the company of her daughter, granddaughters and great-grandchildren, and her greatest wish and parting prayer was to see Ukraine victorious and successful. 

Zoia has been reunited in Heaven with her beloved Vsevolod, and is survived by her sister Lydia, her beloved daughter Iryna, granddaughters Natalia and Alexandra, grandsons in law Boris and Arif, and great grandchildren Benjamin and Barbara. Her last thoughts were with her family, her refugee community, her church friends and "her veterans" in Ukraine, as well as with all Ukrainian people. 

Farewell Service for Zoia: 

Tuesday, April 9, 6-8PM

Michalski Funeral Home

463 Monmouth St, Jersey City, NJ 07302 

*** If you would like to make a charitable donation in Zoia's memory, please consider giving to Ukrainian Jersey City - https://www.ukrainianjc.com/donations

It would mean so much to her. God bless you and thank you for being a part of Zoia's long and incredible life. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Zoia Tomash, please visit our floral store.