1906 – 2003

LEWISTON – Riva I. Gekhtin, 96, a resident of Tall Pines Drive, Lewiston, died early Saturday morning at Central Maine Medical Center.

She was born in Odessa in the Ukraine Dec. 26, 1906, the daughter of Isaak and Vita Fertzer. A homemaker all her life. On Oct. 17, 1931 she married Grigory I. Gekhtin who passed away on Nov. 19, 1997.

She was a life member of Congregation Beth Abraham in Auburn, a life member of The Sisterhood and The Hadassah. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She is survived by a daughter, Elaine Talis and her husband, Alex, of Lewiston; a son, Isaak Gekhtin and his wife, Alexandra, of Lewiston; two grandchildren, Zina Talis and Alex Gekhtin; two great-grandchildren; a nephew, Yan Braginsky; plus several grand-nephews.

She was predeceased by two children who she lost during the occupation of Europe, and her sisters and brothers.