Aleksandra Clendenning

Aleksandra (Sasha) Jodi Clendenning

December 13, 1974 - March 22, 2025

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Aleksandra (Sasha) Jodi Clendenning, who fell asleep peacefully in the Lord on March 22, 2025, at her home in Salem, Utah. Her funeral was on March 22, 2025 at St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church in Roswell, GA. After the funeral service, she was laid to rest at the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension in Resaca, Georgia.

Sasha was born on December 13, 1974, in Rochester, Michigan, to Robert (Bob) and Nora (Judy) Gorham. She graduated from Oakland Catholic High School in 1993. She moved to Georgia in 1994 and lived most of her life in the Atlanta area. After earning a bachelor's degree from Clayton State University and an associate degree in Veterinary Technology from Gwinnett Technical College, she worked for six years at Gwinnett Animal Hospital in Snellville, Georgia. She loved animals, especially dogs and horses.

In February of 2000, Aleksandra was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church at St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church by Archimandrite John Townsend. Her godmother was Elena Vinogradovna. On July 30, 2000, she married Richard (Paul) Clendenning. Her spiritual father was Hieromonk Alexander Lisnichuk, until his repose in 2023. She loved Father John, Father Alexander, and the Church very dearly and lived a life of faith.

Sasha loved and cared very deeply for her family, friends, and all those around her. She always looked for opportunities to serve and encourage people, especially those who were less fortunate or living with disabilities. At times when she herself was in the hospital, she would be making encouragement cards to hand out to other patients. She worked in companion care, spending time with and assisting individuals who could not care for themselves. Her heart's desire was to become a psychiatric nurse, to help others heal emotionally and spiritually.

She loved sewing, cooking, cuddling with her beloved boxers and looking at the beautiful Utah scenery with its snow-capped mountains. She had an incredible sense of humor and a mischievous spirit that we will all miss dearly.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Aleksandra's name to the Therapeutic Riding Institute in Spring Valley, Ohio, at https://www.triohio.org/give-1.

Memory Eternal!