Alexandra Kozodoeva

Alexandra Kozodoeva, 99, a beloved mother and grandmother, passed away on October 14, 2025. Born on April 21, 1926, in the village of Lobochi, near Volgograd, Russia (former Soviet Union), Alexandra lived through World War II, the Stalin years, and dissolution of the Soviet Union, the post-Soviet period, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Alexandra was the eldest of five children and went to school through 7th grade until the Soviet Union entered World War II in 1941. When the war started, Alexandra remained with her mother and younger siblings. She completed the 10th grade in 1944, when she was 18 years old. At age18, Alexandra was sent to work in a military textile factory. After running away to return home, she was arrested and sent to a labor camp in the Ural Mountains 1,000 miles away from home, where she worked various jobs. In 1948, when the Soviet leadership freed all wartime prisoners, Alexandra worked as the head cook in a communal kitchen. There she met her future husband, Victor Kozodoev. They got married in 1949, and remained married for 64 years until Victor’s death in 2013.

Alexandra and Victor raised their two daughters in Volgograd, where they built a country home andmaintained a big garden to supplement their income. After her older daughter emigrated to the United States, Victor and Alexandra joined her in 1999. They lived in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Alexandra and her husband became U.S. citizens. In the last three years of her life, Alexandra suffered from dementia and was cared for by her daughter and son-in-law. Alexandra is survived by her two daughters and their family in New Jersey, New York, and St. Petersburg, Russia. Alexandra was a prolific gardener, and enjoyed planting trees, vegetables, and herbs. She also shared plants with friends and acquaintances. She was also an excellent knitter and knitted socks for everyone in the family. She was beloved by everyone for her kindness and generosity.

Funeral services from Kugler Community Home For Funerals 311 Fifth Street Saddle Brook, NJ. Visiting hours on Thursday October 16, 2025 from 5-7 pm. Funeral prayer services on Friday October 17, 2025 at 10:30 am. Burial immediately following in Garden of Memories Cemetery in Paramus / Washington Township, NJ.