Vitaliy Istomin

Vitaliy Istomin, 66, of Cleveland, TN went to be with the Lord Thursday, February 27th, 2020 at his home surrounded by his loving wife and children.

Vitaliy was ordained by the Church of God and pastored the Slavic Church in Cleveland, TN for 23 years.

He was born in Kirgizstan, USSR and immigrated with his family to the USA in 1988. In the USSR Vitaliy was persecuted, tortured and imprisoned by the KGB for fighting the evil Soviet Union regime to bring freedom to the persecuted church. His desire was to go to a country where he could worship God freely with his family. Vitaliy considered it the greatest blessing and gift from God to live and raise his family in America.

He loved spending time with his family. In his rare free time, he enjoyed going to the ocean. His favorite pastime was reading and memorizing scripture.

Vitaliy was a great man of God and a hero of the Faith. He was selfless, loving, caring and full of compassion. Vitaliy spent every waking moment serving others. But when he was thanked, he always gave all honor to God by saying “If I did something good, it’s only by the grace of God.”

Vitaliy was preceded in death by his father, Vassili Istomin, his wife, Nina Istomin, his wife, Klavdia Belozub and his sister Nina Bagrin.

He is survived by his wife, Galyna Vatsyk Istomin, his mother, Antonina Istomin, his children, Alexander and Marina Merk, Anna and Stephen Anderson, Aleksey and Nellya Istomin, Elena and Frank Viola, Oksana Istomin, Natalya Istomin, Susana Istomin, Emmanuel Istomin, Anastasya Istomin, Christina Istomin, Alena Maslov and family, Nataliya Shipley and family. As well as his grandchildren Isaak and Isaiah Viola.

The Remembrance of Life Service will be conducted on Thursday, March 5th, 2020, at 2 p.m. at the North Cleveland Church of God, Dixon Chapel.

The family will receive friends from noon to 2 p.m. at the Dixon Chapel prior to the service.

Interment will follow at Lee Cemetery in McDonald, TN with family and friends serving as casket bearers.

A meal will be provided by Living Stones Community Church following the burial.