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Obituary of Veronica Mugarab-Samedi
December 11, 1963 - Baku, Azerbaijan,
November 22, 2023 - Bathurst, New Brunswick
On November 22, 2023, many hearts across the world were saddened with grief over the passing of a beloved woman, Veronica Mugarab-Samedi (née Sologubova). After a short battle with cancer in Bathurst, NB, Veronica found peace by God’s side and quietly surrendered herself in His arms. Although it was cut short, she lived a rich and fulfilling life for which she will be remembered by many.
Veronica was born on December 11, 1963, to Viktor and Tamara Sologubov in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan. As a child, she was curious about the world and exceptionally intelligent; she had a deep relationship with reading and enriching her mind with knowledge any chance she could. At the age of 12, she experienced the sudden tragic passing of her mother during labor with her younger brother, Dmitriy. Veronica’s responsibilities rose to helping raise her brother and fully care for her family, which in no way dulled her academic performances. Rather, this painful experience inspired her to pursue a career in medicine, specifically in the sphere of pediatrics, which she practiced for 36 years. It marked the beginning of a lifelong journey of dedicating herself to saving and delivering newborn babies.
By her early twenties, Veronica completed her medical studies with honors at the Azerbaijan State Medical University as a certified MD and MSc in Pediatrics, where she also worked for 15 consecutive years. A confident and determined young woman, she was ready to take on the next steps in her life. That is when she met Azer, the man she was destined to spend the rest of her days with. They married on February 14th, 1989. Together they had three children, Anar, Nargiz, and Fuad, all raised during the turmoil of war. Even through these political and economic hardships, Veronica’s determination shone brighter than ever, giving her children a happy and memorable childhood.
She finished her PhD in Pediatrics at the Russian State Medical Academy in 1993 and was simultaneously working, raising a family, and contributing her spare time to the well-being of refugee families in Baku. Her family being her main priority, she began looking at the bigger picture for their future and considering life outside of the conflicts happening in their home country. That is when she took an even bigger step in life and migrated her family to Saudi Arabia in the year 2000, where she worked as a Pediatric Specialist until 2006. Veronica was relentless in her pursuit of creating a beautiful life for her family and leaving a mark on the world.
Eager for new experiences, Veronica once again migrated her family to Calgary in 2006. While waiting for her medical certifications to be upgraded with supplemental schooling and exams, she worked at the Calgary Public Library and later at the Alberta Health Services as a clinical assistant until 2015. Veronica then promptly started her Fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the University of Calgary, completing it along with a third-year Research Fellowship in 2018. All the while, she managed to also find time for volunteering activities. Azer and Veronica established the first community of Azerbaijani people in Calgary, promoting awareness of their culture and helping newcomers with resettlement needs. From 2007 onwards she was a regular volunteer with the Samaritan Club of Calgary where she helped raise funds for local charities.
Progressing in her career, Veronica found herself in Saskatoon for the following five years working as a Neonatal Hospitalist at the Royal University Hospital. She stepped up to work at many other local hospitals in every province she lived in. By May of 2023, she joined the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New Brunswick, where she worked as a staff pediatrician at the Chaleur Regional Hospital in the city of Bathurst. It was there that she made plans to finally settle down and retire and made the final move with her husband.
Veronica enjoyed all things classical: music, literature, films. She was a woman of many self-taught talents, such as playing the piano, and was a renowned polyglot.
Veronica had a deep relationship with God and firmly believed in his guidance throughout her life. Learning as much as she could was her lifelong mission. Every day of her life she absorbed knowledge like a sponge, that she outpoured into the lives of her family, friends, and colleagues.
When she was not working, she enjoyed walks in nature, drinking Azeri chai tea, reading anything that captured her attention, and in the later years of her life even took up an interest in anime comics. At the age of 58, she reached another milestone she was very proud of - her first-ever driver’s license. By 59, Veronica finally became a grandmother to Aslan. She would have loved to spend more time with him. Above all things she valued and loved the time that she got to spend with her family.
This is just a short, condensed list of her life’s works and accomplishments; there are endless accounts of awe and inspiration that will be treasured in so many hearts. Her memory will live on and be passed down for generations to come. Veronica was, in every way, extraordinary and exceptional. She left an impact across the globe that can never be forgotten. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Veronica’s family here.
