Obituary of Elena Kucherenko Mertian

Elena Kucherenko-Mertian, 51, of Woodville passed away peacefully on August 3, 2018 after a courageous five year battle with breast cancer.

Born in Chersky, Ukraine, she attended the Chersky Art Institute where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Language Arts.  In 1998 Elena came to the United States as a Student/Foreign Exchange Interpreter and lived in upper state New York.  She then moved to Birmingham and worked for Accenture in data, processing, computer programming and as a project manager. 

Elena was a world traveler.  She was experienced in cultures and people around the world having traveled to over forty countries.  She spoke many languages.  She was a talented artist who shared her love of beauty in paintings with many people.  She married John Mertian who was not only her husband, but her best friend, and the love of her life for twelve years. 

She was preceded in death by her mother, Maya Adamovich Kucherenko.

Elena is survived by her loving husband, John Mertian and her father, Anatolia I. Kucherenko.

Funeral service will be held Tuesday, August 7, 2018, at 10 am at the First Baptist Church in Spurger with Brother Cole Clark officiating.  Burial will follow at the Antioch Cemetery in Woodville.  Visitation will be held Monday from 5 pm until 7 pm at the church.

Serving as pallbearers will be Bubba Waldrep, Scott Gore, Jathan Borel, Robert Borel, Jacob Hooks, and Jason Griffith.