02/10/2026
February 8th, 2026 will go down as one of the saddest in the annals of our scout family, not to mention our tight-knit community of friends and families of Russian emigree descendants. On this day we lost one of our kindest and most selfless souls, and while she is not the first, nor will she be the last, this was nonetheless a terribly hard shock to take.
Nina Kobetz Leontiev, was a dear friend, a loving and caring wife and mother, and an integral member of our community. Her nurturing and loving nature carried over into everything she did, from her vocation as a nurse, to her work with our “Belochki” (little girls’ scout group), to her frequent help in the kitchen at our scout camps for our Los Angeles chapter, Nizhniy Novgorod, as well as the San Francisco chapter, Kiev. She even helped share the burden as second-in-command to Musya Skorobogatsh of our “druzhina Nizhniy Novgorod”.
Nina loved her scout family. She grew up in it and rose through the ranks, as did many of us, always helping when needed and never needing to be asked. She participated in the diverse activities of our community, for many years playing balalaika in our Russian Folk Orchestra, always helping with the organization of our charity balls, picnics, and other events. She so loved the organization that she enrolled her two daughters, Karina and Liza. And to continue the family tradition Liza worked with the Belochki in the SF summer camp.
It is difficult to summarize a person’s life and contribution to her friends and family, especially someone so respected and beloved. Clearly, these few words are wholly inadequate to relay the deep sorrow and grief we all feel for the loss of our dear friend and sister.
May the Lord bless keep you in His heavenly kingdom, and may He help us to mourn our heavy loss. Our love, prayers and wishes go out to you, our beloved “Ostrich”, and to your whole family. Memory Eternal!
Written by Scl. Alexander Canovas
