Igor Michael Gladstone Sr. died of natural causes at age 87 on Feb. 6th, in his home in Woodinville, WA, surrounded by his loving family.
Igor was born on the 1st of December, 1928 in Algiers to Galena Voinov, an Imperial Russian noblewoman and Michael Alexander Glazachev, a distinguished naval engineering officer, both of whom had fled Sevastopol during the Russian Revolution. He was raised in colonial French North Africa, knife-fighting in the streets and studying in French schools. Igor spoke Russian at home and Arabic in the community. Igor received his Baccalaureate degree in 1947.
Igor immigrated to Seattle the same year and became a United States citizen in 1952. His focus and determination allowed him to study full time while also working at the Olympic Hotel as a waiter to help support his family. Igor received his Master’s degree in Educational Statistics from the University of Washington, and then married Lydia Homenco, the love of his life, on July 18, 1954 at the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral on Capitol Hill.
During his 40-year career with the Seattle School District, Igor specialized in foreign languages. He taught French, Russian, Spanish, and German to thousands of students at Roosevelt High School and Nathan Hale High School. Igor was always proud of his family’s Russian heritage and especially enjoyed teaching Russian literature. Igor advanced to the position of Department Head of Foreign Languages, and then, before his retirement, to District Language Specialist to the Superintendent.
Igor’s interests and activities widely ranged, reflecting his inextinguishable energy and drive. He wrote many scholarly papers and lectured across 
the country and abroad. Igor published a two-volume memoir, The Algerian Odyssey and The American Odyssey. Igor designed and built several houses, including two in Woodinville, Washington and one in Roseburg, Oregon. His farm in Woodinville consistently pulls a profit from beef, and his land in Roseburg grows timber. Igor belonged to the Writers’ Group in Roseburg, Oregon, as he relished being a part of the community. Many mornings throughout his life, Igor was up well before dawn, making fresh coffee and his famous Algerian breakfasts for the family as he prepared for the rigorous day of teaching, building, or chopping wood. In Igor’s later years, he crafted fine wine from the grapes he and Lydia grew. Igor enjoyed his life from their wisteria covered veranda as he made plans for improving everyone’s lives. Visits from family and friends were celebratory, joyous occasions because Igor loved us all. He worked tirelessly to show us just how much he cared. Until the very end, he could never be contained.
Igor is survived by Lydia Gladstone, his wife of 62 years; children Igor Jr., Sylvia, Peggy, and Gaylyn; grandchildren Anna, Laura, Alexandra, Arist, Cole, and Stefanie; nieces Dorothy, Valerie, and Lisa, and nephew Greg. Igor is preceded in death by his mother Galina Voinov and his father Michael Glazachev, sister Alichka (Sotnik), brothers Michael and Valentin, and nephew Robert Sotnik. A Celebration of Life is planned at his home in May. Please write your remembrances of Igor here.
Thank you for making his life rich with love and laughter.
