Kristina Gelfand

Kristina Gelfand

Fairfield

Kristina Gelfand, 59, of Fairfield, Iowa, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2022, in her home, surrounded by family.

Kristina was a loving mother to her two sons, Joseph and Raphael, and wife to Rig. Kristina is survived by her two sons, her husband, and twin sister, Maria Soli.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Inge Josephsen.

A teacher for 20 years, Kristina was a mother to her students, all of her son's friends, and anyone who needed a guiding light or helping hand. She was always blazing forward, never working for herself, constantly in the service of others. If anyone needed a shoulder to cry on, a heart to comfort, or someone to talk to, Kristina was there. An unending capacity for love without condition.

A gifted horsewoman, she loved few things more than riding and caring for her beloved horses and her devoted dogs, Polo and Joy. Fighting a lifelong battle against liver disease, she rebuked the statistics presented to her by doctors and refused to live a lesser life than what her ancestral Viking spirit demanded. Whether it was biking 100 miles in the blistering summer heat, staying up late to craft lesson plans, or simply anchoring a loving home, she continued to fight against the odds — and at times it felt, against the will of nature. She paved her own deeply rooted path in this world, with those roots extending throughout multiple hobbies, disciplines, and passions. To her, the world was just a place for her to make better. No matter the cracks in her cup, it runneth full with the love of those who knew her.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Dalby Hall in the Argiro student center on the MIU campus at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, 2022.

Donations in Kristina’s memory can be made to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa at https://www.arl-iowa.org/.

Friends may leave online condolences at www.cranstonfamilyfuneralhome.com.