College Mourns Russian Professor Vera Belousova

Dr. Vera Belousova

Ohio University mourns faculty member Dr. Vera Belousova, 59, who passed away Nov. 2, 2017, at the Kobacker House, a hospice care center in Columbus.

Belousova was a Senior Lecturer in Russian in the Modern Languages Department. She was born in Moscow, Russia (then Soviet Union) and moved to Athens in 1999. Her parents were Rakhil Malogolovkina and Mikhail Belousov.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. Vladimir Uspenskiy, Professor of Mathematics at Ohio University; a daughter, Anna; a son, Andrey;
and a granddaughter, Rakhil.

“The College of Arts & Sciences extends our condolences to Vera’s husband, Vladimir, and their children,” said Dean Robert Frank.

“I was very fortunate to see Vera one last time last week, and we spoke for a few minutes, and I experienced her beautiful smile and laughter. She lives on in her children and in our department.” said Dr. Betsy Partyka, Professor and Chair of Modern Languages.

“She was not just a co-worker but a friend to all and a beautiful person. She will be sorely missed,” Partyka added. “No funeral service is planned, but her picture was added to our Dia de los Muertos altar so that we can celebrate her life, as we have been celebrating all this week the lives of all those so close to us who are no longer with us.”

Belousova joined Ohio University in 1999 and taught all levels of Russian. She created the Russian Studies Certificate and took students to Moscow for a study abroad experience every two years. She was active with her students in Conversation Hour, Russian Club, and the Russian food festival.

Belousova holds a Candidate of Sciences (Kandidatskaya) degree (equivalent of an American Ph.D.) from Moscow State University in German and Hungarian literature. She published articles not only on these subjects, but also on 19^th-century Russian literature, her other area of specialty. In addition, Belousova is the author of Russian detective novels, including Prosh’aju tebe moju smert’ (I Forgive You for my Death), Po subbotam ne streljaju (I Don’t Shoot on Saturdays), Zhil na svete rycar’ bednyj… (There lived a poor knight…) and others.