Irena Descamps

Irena Descamps passed away at age 67 on June 14, 2026, after a yearlong cancer battle.

Born Irena Ovcharenko in Slovyansk, Ukrainian SSR, on May 23, 1959, Irena defied her strict Soviet upbringing by being a free spirit and always celebrating life. Intelligent and determined, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education while nursing a broken heart after losing her mother at age 17. Hundreds of kindergarten students in her classroom benefitted from her warm yet authoritative presence. Endlessly creative, Irena painted and built set decorations for the school’s holiday plays.

Having married Igor Rusetsky in 1984, the newly named Irena Rusetskaya welcomed her first and only child, Mykhaylo “Misha” Rusetsky. Irena later made the choice to be a single parent, giving her son the safety of a new home in the capital city, Kyiv. Fiercely protective of her boy, she struggled against the economical landscape of post-Soviet Ukraine, sometimes working three jobs at once to put food on the table. Yet, both mother and son had everything they needed: they foraged for mushrooms and berries in the nearby woods, rented rowboats on hot days to float down the scenic Dnipro River, and celebrated holidays with Irena’s many friends.

Irena traveled the world and admired Western culture, fashion, and cuisine. While Paris was her favorite stop, she always dreamed of one day living in America. She made that dream a reality in October of 1997, when she brought both her sons—the human Mykhaylo and the Siberian longhair cat Simon—to their new home in Ohio. Taking her second husband’s last name Descamps, she worked hard to learn the English language, earn her driver’s license, and do what she did best: get a job and work hard at it.

Irena’s career in retail allowed her to expand on her personal style, luxuriating in designer wardrobe and accessories and keeping up with the latest European trends. She was a highly sought-after retail professional, spending 25 years representing lavish department stores (Marshall Field’s, Kauffman’s, Macy’s, and Von Maur) as a Beauty Consultant, Fragrance Specialist, and Women’s Fashion Coordinator, and earning countless accolades and “#1 Employee” awards at the store, regional, and national levels.

She never lost her love of children. Irena spent her spare time nannying kids of local Eastern European immigrant families and tutored them in Russian and Ukrainian languages. She used any extra income she earned to support her sister Viktoria and her family in Ukraine, especially after the war with Russia devastated life as they knew it.

Irena’s heart lay with the people who surrounded her. She enjoyed bike rides in local parks, lakeside picnics with beloved friends (always with a spread of organic home-made meals), and New Year’s Eve parties where she would dance, sing, laugh, and occasionally set off fireworks that rattled the neighbors. She did all this deep into her 60s because she was an unstoppable force.

As ovarian cancer and other health complications forced her into early retirement in October 2025, she remained valiant. Aided by her son and a cadre of faithful friends, she did everything she could to fight back. When her diagnosis worsened to months left, Irena remained a person of strength, humor, and deep love.

She leaves behind a grateful son, Mykhaylo “Mike” Rusetsky, whose life is forever changed for having known her. Irena loved to treat Mike and his wife Elaina Rusetsky to dinner, celebrating every wedding anniversary and birthday. The three of them watched the Eurovision Song Contest, taking great joy in Irena’s heckling of the garishly dressed performers. She also leaves behind her big sister Viktoria Yanko and nephews Dmitriy Yanko (Olga) and Sergey Yanko (Alena), along with her grandnephew Artyom and other extended family.

Irena has requested that no traditional funeral or celebration of life be held. Donations in her name can be made to Pink Ribbon Good and Razom for Ukraine.