Prayers Requested: Departed Servant of God Izstaafiyax Eystafi

Prayers Requested: Departed Servant of God Izstaafiyax Evstafi
 
The family of Starosta Ronald K. Snigaroff announced that he fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, March 16, 2025, after a valiant battle with cancer.  Ronald, whose baptismal name in his native Unangam Tunuu language is Izstaafiyax (in slavonic, Evstafi), was a beloved brother, uncle, great-uncle, Godfather, friend, hunting partner, active community member, and is especially remembered for his role as Church Starosta of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church of Atka, the most western parish in the Diocese of Alaska. 
 
Throughout his lifetime, he was a devout Orthodox Christian who lived a life of unwavering faith, praying to God and taking great comfort and consolation in our most Holy Lady Theotokos. He would often recount stories of praying to ask for her intercessions and how his prayers were very often heard and answered.
 
He grew up living the traditional Unangax way of life, and though he was a man of relatively few words, he was a wealth of knowledge about so many subjects of traditional life. He was a renowned hunter and fisherman, and so was a provider of traditional foods for the people of Atka. Everyone who really knew Ronald also came to know his sense of humor; he could make everyone laugh in his quiet and understated yet astutely hilarious way. 
 
Evstafi will be sorely missed in his home village of Atka, as well as by all who knew him in the various villages and towns that he fished from over the years. He was especially fond of Unalaska, which was a second home for him for many years, and was where he had a great many friends who have become family to him. 
 
Funeral and burial services are planned for the afternoon on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at the St. Nicholas Church of Atka, with the Father Michael Fredericks serving. Following the services, there will be a memorial meal at the Atka Netsvetov school. The family greatly thanks everyone who has reached out with condolences and made contributions to Ronald's final arrangements. May our merciful Lord grant him rest where all sickness, sorrow, and sighing are no more, but life everlasting, and make his memory to be eternal. Vechnaya pamyat.