Luba Pekisheva passed away in her home in Maple Falls on February 22nd, 2026 at age 46, with her mother by her side. Luba was accompanied by friends throughout her medical journey, and was cared for in her own home, with her three cats whom she loved dearly, until the end.

We remember Luba as a vibrant and sharp yet humble woman, a deep thinker, and a radical independent. She was an avid hiker on the local trails in East Whatcom County, and high up in the North Cascades, and she was a diligent advocate for justice, ecological conservation and against oppressive systems. She met many of her friends on outdoor excursions, along the Mt. Baker Highway, up in the woods, on trails, in activist circles, or in Bellingham, where she would frequent the Community Food Co-op, Trader Joe’s, and other local spaces, including community spiritual outlets she enthusiastically participated in such as Shir HaShalom Jewish Renewal and Red Cedar Zen Community.

Luba was a medical interpreter by profession and had a knack for languages and cultures. Born in Astrakhan, Russia, she immigrated to the United States with her mother as a teenager. She was fluent in both Russian and English, and liked learning words and ideas from various traditions, near and far, and was well-versed and well-read in mythology, history, and current events from around the globe.

She graduated from Portland State University with an Arts degree and continued to make art throughout her life.

Luba found nature to be meditative and healing and believed in simple living, lived a vegan lifestyle, and often critiqued materialistic culture and wasteful practices. She stood up to protect trees from being cut down for financial or political gain and loved the natural landscapes of the pacific northwest. She did not go anywhere without her hiking backpack, and she used to go on backpacking trips, which she loved. In her own words, "the act of moving through nature quietly, attentively, propelling yourself forward by your breath and muscles, has a way of balancing and quieting down the mind, opening it to a sense of contentment and awe..."

Shortly before she entered hospice care, Luba said she still had a lot left to do in life. There were places she had hoped to be able to hike during her lifetime.

In honor of Luba, you may want to plant or protect a tree or go on a hike in a beautiful place.

We will always remember how Luba loved her cats with such tenderness, found refuge in nature, held strong values and advocated for them, and participated with us in events, hikes, and gatherings. She is leaving behind a legacy of activism, kindness, and simplicity.

Luba is survived by her mother, Galina Pekisheva.

A graveside service will be held for Luba on Monday, March 23 at 2:30pm at Beth Israel Cemetery, 1400 Woburn St, Bellingham, WA 98225. Beth Israel Cemetery is accessed from within Bayview Cemetery.

Graveside Service

Mar

23

Beth Israel Cemetery

1400 Woburn St
Bellingham, WA 928225

2:30 PM