Valentina Cantarero
Aug. 26, 1947-Nov. 27, 2011
Moutain View, California
Submitted by Tania Cantarero

Valentina "Tina" Cantarero, a 14-year Mountain View resident, died peacefully Sunday morning, Nov. 27, following a 4 1/2 year bout with inflammatory breast cancer. Though born in Salzburg, Austria in 1947, Tina spent her early years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tina was raised primarily by her grandparents. Fluent in both Russian (her family's native tongue) and Spanish, Tina had an active childhood filled with school, piano and ballet lessons, and summers at Girl Scout camp. At age 14 Tina boarded her first airplane for a trip to Boston for secondary education--where she joined older sister Luisa, and later followed by brother Alex. Tina was married in 1967 and soon moved from Massachusetts to California where Tina took great pride in her first job--working at a San Francisco bank. They later relocated to San Jose where daughter Tania was born. Tina, even while raising young Tania, attended college to prepare for a position in the electronics field. Tina then worked for over 25 years at Intel, where appreciation of her endeavors was noted in several scientific papers. Her grandparents, Peter and Anna Korobow who were survivors of Stalin's Regime, were extremely grateful to be able to emigrate to the United States themselves. Tina served as primary caregiver to her grandmother until her death at age 99; she also volunteered annually with the American Cancer Society. Especially since her cancer diagnosis in 2007 Tina's motto was "The Good Life Is Now." She was an avid reader, viewer of PBS, lover of white Lindt chocolates, dark coffee, violets, and Russian Faberge eggs. She enjoyed special outings with friends and displayed an appreciative, optimistic attitude. She brought genuine caring and cheer to those with whom she came in contact--whether to her doctors and nursing staff at Stanford Hospital where she underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy--or her close friends. Her closest friends for over 30 years, 3 of Tina's dearest friends Clara, Cristina and Beatriz, had a long and beautiful friendship and shared many wonderful memories and traditions togethers with Tina. Tina valued their friendship. Also, as Tania's Tia's, the close knit group spent many holidays celebrating together. In her Wednesday evening Women's Bible Study group at Menlo Park Presbyterian Tina became a diligent student of the Bible and was a radiant, inspiring influence. Tina and her family valued education. Her daughter Tania remembered her advising, "Promote education to your children from the moment they take their first breath--even if it means sacrifice." In high school Tania studied at Castilleja in Palo Alto, obtained her bachelor's in International Business from San Jose State University, and this year received her M.B.A. from California State University East Bay. Tania followed in her mother's footsteps and now works in the semiconductor industry. Tina is also survived by her sister Luisa Peck, who received a degree in Linguistics from Georgetown University then became a teacher, Luisa's son, Justin Peck, currently a Columbia University student and member of the New York City Ballet, and Luisa's daughter, Allison Peck, who graduated from the University of Virginia with a master's degree in Political Science. Tina is also survived by her brother, Alex Polosjuk, who attended Boston College then moved to San Francisco where he became a teacher. Alex married and they had a daughter, Karina, who recently earned her nursing degree.