I am sorry to inform you that my friend and colleague Vadim Khazin, an ATA member and former EN-RU and EN-UA grader, passed away June 25, 2025.
Vadim was born April 1, 1937, in Kyiv. (Vadim and I were classmates; we had been friends since 1947).
He immigrated to the U.S. in 1992, and became an ATA member the following year. Vadim was instrumental in creating the English into Ukrainian Certification, and was the first EN-UA Language Chair. He also made presentations at ATA conferences. Colleagues remember him as erudite, witty, never mean-spirited, always pleasant to be with.
Those who attended SLD Dinners at ATA conferences remember the humorous bouts-rimes Vadim was writing while we had been eating and drinking. Each of us suggested two rhyming words – in English, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish or Spanish, and in a few minutes, Vadim was creating a poem that actually made sense!
Vadim will be sorely missed.
Boris Silversteyn,
SLD Leadership Council
As a tribute to Vadim, Larry Bogoslaw has proposed composing a final bout-rimé in his honor. You are invited to contribute rhyming pairs of words, which will then be made into a poem about our dear colleague. Please offer your suggestions in response to this post on the SLD’s Google Group, and we welcome your collaboration in writing the poem.
I am very saddened to hear about the passing of a wonderful man and the ultimate professional
Dr. Vadim Khazin. May he RIP and May His Memory Be a Blessing!
Thank you for posting this. Vadim was a dear friend of my family and this was the only source I found when I heard about the passing and started looking for information. If Boris Silversteyn could please reach out to me and give me any additional details, I would greatly appreciate it. I’m hoping to get in touch soon. My email is Julia.kust@yahoo.com. Thanks again!