Inna Ostrova

Obituary

Inna Ostrova, nee Goldberg, passed away on April 9th, 2026, while enjoying a spring walk in Chicago, Illinois.

Inna was born in Belarus on December 15th, 1935, to the late Boris Goldberg and the Zina Sindel. She had two beloved sisters, Fran Zamaro and the late Mirra Slutskaya. She survived the Holocaust as a child and went on to become a well-respected math and physics teacher in Baranovichi, where she met her late husband, Aron Ostrov. There she raised her two sons, Grigory and Mikhail. In 1996, she immigrated with her family to the United States, first to New York City and, after Aron’s passing, to Chicago, where she continued to live life to the fullest.

Inna was a woman of boundless wit and energy, the keeper of family lore, an intrepid traveler and storyteller, an avid reader, and a tireless source of support for all those near and far. Her cozy home was always a place of comfort, full of mouth-watering smells, ready to receive guests at a moment’s notice, whether they came from the apartment next door or another city. She took fierce pride in her children and grandchildren, celebrating every milestone and accomplishment with a joyful enthusiasm. She was the heart of her senior community, a regular participant (and winner!) of Rummikub competitions, a music lover who would turn every family gathering into a concert, and a force of nature with a magnetic personality who could turn a brief conversation with a stranger in an airport into a lifelong friendship. 

She leaves behind her loving sons, Grigory and Mikhail Ostrov; daughter-in-law, Lina Ostrov; nephew, Felix Zamaro; nieces, Zhanna Zamaro and Lina Slutskaya; and grandchildren, Inna, Katya, Daniel, Daniela, and Ariela Ostrov.

May her memory be a forever blessing.

Graveside service Tuesday, April 14th, 1:00 p.m. (Eastern) at United Hebrew Cemetery, Staten Island, NY. The service will be livestreamed on Inna’s webpage, www.goldmanfuneralgroup.com. For additional Information: The Goldman Funeral Group (847) 478-1600.