The friends and family of Nicholai Lekanoff are gathering Wednesday to celebrate the life of the noted Unangax̂ elder and church leader, who died last week at age 93.
Lekanoff was born in Makushin in 1925 and later moved to Unalaska with his family.
He was an altar boy in his youth and served throughout his life at the Holy Ascension Cathedral, where he became the Starosta and was known for his skill in ringing the church bells.
After the bombing of Dutch Harbor in 1942, Lekanoff was among the hundreds of Unangax̂ forced to evacuate to southeast Alaska, and he worked to support his family during their internment at Burnett Inlet.
After World War II, he married Pauline Kudrin of Kashega, and they raised a large family in Unalaska.
Lekanoff's funeral is Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Holy Ascension Cathedral. A potluck will follow at 5 p.m. in the high school's small gym.