Tamara U. Knehnetsky

Tamara U. Knehnetsky, age 95, passed away on Thursday, December 4, 2025, where she resided at ACTS Country House, Wilmington, DE. She was born in Valga, Estonia to the late Leonid Usatenko and Julia Kattai. As a teen starting high school, she fled with her mother to Germany in September 1944, because of WWII. At the Displaced Persons Camp in Augsburg, she attended the Estonian high school, and later met her future Ukrainian husband, John (Ivan), at the Transit Camp in Munich. Through an employment opportunity offered by the Canadian government, Tamara and her mother relocated to Ontario for their initial work assignment. After a year, she found another job in Montreal as a household cook and completed a secretarial course. Her mother joined the same staff in late 1949, relieving Tamara of her duties, which enabled her to take a position at a nearby insurance company. She married John there in 1950 and the couple moved to the U.S., first residing in Brooklyn, where John had family. The following year, they settled in Wilmington, DE just before their son was born. For three years, Tamara worked for the DuPont Co as a secretary. After gaining citizenship, she brought her mother from Montreal to live with the family. Her daughter was born, and Tamara soon started working for Atlas Chemicals (later ICI), enjoying a 32-year career there in the administrative support area. She was active in the Ukrainian Women’s League of America, and the family attended St Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Wilmington. Tamara and her mother also attended functions at the Estonian Lutheran Church in Seabrook, NJ.

In 1990, she was predeceased by her husband and retired thereafter. She attended Osher Academy of Lifelong Learning, and among her passions were bridge, reading, music, theater, movies, gardening, and social events. She enjoyed travel, especially visits to her two grandchildren in CA and AZ, and to her homeland, Estonia, to see remaining family there. In 1991, Tamara was honored to host an Estonian government representative who came to Delaware to meet counterparts in the state’s government, just ahead of Estonia’s restoral of independence. In 2011, she moved to ACTS Country House, making many friends and continuing with her hobbies through resident groups there and many local outings for arts and entertainment, as well as the in-house weekly performances. She played piano for personal enjoyment and various on-site functions and services.

Tamara was predeceased by brothers Viktor and Boris. She is survived by her daughter, Irene (Rich); her son, Raymond; two grandsons, Ivo (Lauren); and Yuri (Ashley); and her nieces and their children.

Services will be held privately. The family wholeheartedly thanks all departments of the ACTS staff, especially medical, nursing and hospice, and volunteers, including the Resident Caring Friends, for all the care and loving-kindness shown to Tamara over the years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to your favorite charity.