One of the oldest residents of Kalmykia, home front worker and labor veteran Maria Elina from Maloderbetovsky district celebrated her 95th birthday.
Maria Ivanovna was born in the village of Cherny Yar in the Astrakhan region, graduated from the seven-year school.
Her labor activity began at the age of 16, from the moment she entered the harvest.
During the Great Patriotic War she worked in a pigsty, melted bacon, helped to get killed soldiers from the Volga and bury them in mass graves.
Since 1946, together with her father Ivan Andreevich, she already worked “in the flock.” For many years, almost until retirement, she served as a technical worker in the office of the Krasnoselsky state farm.
In 1948 she got married and gave birth to six daughters and two sons. Now she has 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
Maria Ivanovna Elina was awarded the Order of Motherhood of the 2nd degree, the Orders of Maternal Glory of the 2nd and 3rd degrees and numerous anniversary medals.