Haline Nesterenko Akulow, who was a beautiful, elegant, and wonderful lady, passed away on April 13, 2014 at the age of 91. She is survived by a son, Orest B. Akulow of East Moline, IL; a daughter, Oksana Akulow Lundeen of Naperville, IL; and two granddaughters, Alexandra and Alastaire Lundeen of Naperville. She is also survived by the thousands of students who were in Mrs. Akulow's first grade and music classes at Bowlesburg Elementary in Silvis, IL; her French and German classes at United Township High School in East Moline, IL; and in her Adult Education French and German classes at Blackhawk College in Moline, IL. Her teaching career spanned 30 years.

She was born in Dubno, Ukraine on June 22, 1922 to Antonina (née Opokova) and Atanasyj Nesterenko. She was raised in Warsaw, Poland where she graduated from both the Lycée Français and the Chopin School of Music. She was an accomplished pianist and aspired to become a concert performer. However, World War II necessitated a change in plans. Her adventures in Europe during the war were many, including saving her family from the Nazis and becoming a translator for the Allied forces. After peace was restored, she studied education and foreign languages at the Institut Français and the Leopold-Franz University of Innsbruck in Austria. She graduated in 1949 and that same year married Eugene Akulow, who was a medical student. Shortly thereafter, she immigrated to the United States under the sponsorship of Iowa State Representative in Washington, Fred Schwengel. Her husband followed a year later, after completing his medical studies.

Haline was dedicated to her students. She sponsored the French and German Clubs at United Township, organized field trips that included visits to Chicago's museums and Iowa's Amana Colonies, and supervised the building of quite a few homecoming floats.

She was proficient not only in French, German and English but also Latin, Russian, Polish and Ukrainian. In addition, she studied Italian and Spanish, and attended Marycrest College in Davenport, IA to fulfill continuing teacher education requirements. One of her dreams was to translate classical literary works.

Haline was an accomplished classical pianist. She loved and studied not only classical symphonies, operas, and ballets, but also Orthodox Church music.

She was a dedicated supporter of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra and PBS Public Television. In addition to local charities, she supported the Children of Chernobyl Relief Foundation, St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Bloomingdale, IL, and St. Andrew's College in Winnipeg - University of Manitoba in Canada. She was a member of the Blackhawk Unit of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. Haline was a parishioner of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of East Moline, IL, and a member of the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society.

Haline was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Eugene, in 1977, and her brother, Dimitri Nesterenko, in 1987.

Visitation will take place on Monday, April 21 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Van Hoe Funeral Home, 1500 6th Street, East Moline, IL with a Trisagion Prayer service at 6:30 PM, and on Tuesday, April 22 from 9:00 to 10:00 AM at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 4900 Kennedy Drive, East Moline, IL. The funeral will follow at 10:00 AM.

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