Obituary of Efim Gilin

Efim Gilin, 94, of Fort Lee passed away on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at Centrastate Medical Center, Freehold. He was born in Leningrad Russia and had escaped the Blockade in Russia and relocated and was reunited with his sister, Tsila in Kazakhstan and had lived in Moscow before immigrating the United States in 1977. Efim's life was marked by many accomplishments, including his time as the Manager of the Samotsverti Jewelry store and Director of watch store, Secunda in Moscow during the 1960s and 1970s. Despite facing challenges, such as being arrested as a Russian dissident and spending two years in prison, Efim remained resilient and continued to pursue his passions. His memoir, "We are not destined to foresee," and his collection of poems called"Le Fortovo to Fort Lee."  his experiences in his books, are a testament to his strength and spirit. He was a talented jeweler and designer, owned Vintage Jewelry on 30 West 47th Street in New York. Efim's life was full of adventure and love. He traveled extensively with his wife, Elena, and her son Dimitry to various Gem & Jewelry shows across the country. He continued to work tirelessly up until the age of 94, building strong relationships with clients all over the country due to his honesty and impeccable craftsmanship. In addition to his work, Efim had a deep love for literature and history, often spending his free time reading and writing about Russian history and wars. He also enjoyed mountain skiing all over the world. Efim's legacy will live on through his beautiful jewelry and the memories he shared with those who knew and loved him. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

He was predeceased by his son, Sergey Starikh. Efim is survived by his wife of 25 years, Elena Gilin of Fort Lee; two sons, Gregory Gilin and his wife, Nina of New York, Jeffrey Gilin and his wife, Torry of California; daughter inlaw, Olga Starikh of Russia; stepsons, Dimitry Kirioukhin and his wife, Julia of New York and Oleg Kirioukhin; grandchildren, Sergey, Vladimir, Alexander, great grandchildren, Vladimir, Tatyana, Varvara, Vaseilisa, Nina and Michael.

Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Thursday, October 10, 2024 for his 1:00 PM service.  Interment to follow at St. Vladimir Cemetery, 316 Cassville Road, Jackson Township. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.