Published June 25, 2021
MELROSE — Katherine Andreevna Boukharov of Melrose, tragically died at age 25 while vacationing in the Florida Keys.
She was born in St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston on January 20, 1996. A kind and curious child, Katherine’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge drove her lifelong passion for reading; her parents would often find her in all corners of the house surrounded by books pouring over her latest fascination.
It was her love of exploring ideas which inspired her to found the Philosophy Club at Melrose High School, which she would preside over as president along with the Math Club, leaving the post when she graduated in 2014. She attended Mount Holyoke College and continued her studies at UMass Amherst for BDIC major in Cognitive Sciences and minored in Music. At Amherst she continued her passion for building communities when she founded and presided over the Disability Culture Club. She worked tirelessly to create a safe and inclusive environment where students with disabilities and their allies could together celebrate the diversity of human experience.
Of Katherine’s many talents, music was her abiding love from a tender age of five when she first put her fingers to piano keys. Bringing together her inherent curiosity and breadth of appreciation for all musical genres, she composed a score of original pieces which elegantly interweaved many divergent influences, pushing at the boundaries of classical composition and creating a style all her own.
Being the child of both Russian and American cultures and always striving to better understand herself and those around her, Katherine took great pleasure in learning about other histories and customs. She loved taking trips to cultural centers of Europe and to marvel at the natural wonders of North America and the Caribbean.
Since an early age, Katherine was fascinated by Japanese culture. She studied Japanese, was fluent in hiragana and was steadily progressing in kanji having mastered more than 1500 characters. She loved anime and manga, and showcased her boundless creativity at anime conventions through her carefully crafted elaborate costumes representing her favorite characters. Her lifelong dream was to visit Japan and fully immerse herself in the land which captured her imagination.
She will forever remain the cherished and loving daughter of Andrey and Natalia Boukharov, beloved baby sister of Irina Krasnoperova, and treasured granddaughter of Olga and Alfred Boukharov and Tamara Khomenko, all of Melrose. She is dearly loved by her cousins, Serge and Kristina Bukharov and her uncle and aunt Vladimir and Olga Bukharov of Vancouver, Canada. She will be missed by her cousins Roman, Bogdan, and Egor Khomenko, and her uncles and aunts Sergiy, Vladimir, Katerina and Olga Khomenko of Ukraine.
Visitation was held at Gately Funeral Home 79 W. Foster Street in Melrose on Monday, June 21 from 4 to 7 p.m., welcoming family and friends. The funeral and interment were on Tuesday, June 22.
Katherine was very modest in her needs and always preferred to donate from her limited funds to various charities. As such, in lieu of flowers contributions are welcomed in Katherine’s memory to Housing Families (housingfamilies.org) where Katherine volunteered as a tutor, or to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (mymsaa.org).
For directions and to sign online condolence please visit www.gatelyfh.com.
