Vera Mihailovna Kriloff (Krilova)

We have no evidence that Vera ever came to the United States. As a result, due to the limits we have on finding documents from Russia, we have little information on Vera. From Irene, we know she was born in 1911 in Blagoveschensk, Siberia. Her parents were Michael and Anna Kriloff.

From the Extract from Register, she married Peter M. Buyanoff on June 20, 1932 in Harbin China at the age of 21. They were wed at the Church of St. Image of Iversk of Holy Virgin Mary an Orthodox venue. According to Irene in our 2008 interview, Vera requested a divorce from Peter. Peter would grant her a divorce if Vera gave him 2 children. She is the biological mother of Glebyshka Petrovitch Buyanoff (born December 15, 1933) and Irina Vera Buyanoff (born May 2, 1939). She is the grandmother to: Jeff Kositzin, Susan Jackson Kositzin, Vera Crossfield Shegoleff, Brenda Nicolay Kositzin, Natalie Ferrari Shegoleff and John Kositzin. In addition, Vera is a great grandmother to: Brandi Parsons Kositzin, Sara Favor, Katrina Kositzin, Anna Kositzin, Matthew Kositzin and Thomas Kositzin. From Irene’s family, Vera was a great grandmother to: Larissa, Victoria, Christina, Nicholas, Gianna and a great grandmother to Adalyn Irene.

The divorce from Peter was granted in 1941.

In 1941, Vera felt that to keep her two children safe they needed to separate and hide. Migrating away with two young children would have been a difficult and demanding effort for a single mother. Glebyshka (George) was adopted by Peter’s sister Uliana Kositzin and her husband Ivan. They fled to the Philippines. In the 2008 interview with Irene, Vera took Irene and lived in a monastery to hide. We don’t know where the monastery was located, but we are assuming in Harbin.

Vera died September 13, 1945 at the age of 34 from tuberculosis and we are assuming in Harbin.