Steshenko, Oksana

Steshenko, Oksana [Стешенко, Оксана; Stešenko], b 1875 in Karpivka, Kremenchuk county, Poltava gubernia, d 1941. Writer; daughter of Mykhailo Starytsky, wife of Ivan M. Steshenko and mother of Iryna Steshenko and Yarosalv Steshenko. She compiled the anthology of children's literature Ridni kolosky (Native Sheaves, 1924; 2nd edn, Kolosky zhyttia [Sheaves of Life, 1925]) and wrote the children's story collection Iak Iurko podorozhuvav na Dniprovi porohy (How Yurko Traveled to the Dnipro Rapids, 1929; rev edn 1942) and Heroï zv'iazku (Heroes of Communication, 1930). She also wrote literary criticism and translated Russian literature into Ukrainian. Steshenko and her sister, Liudmyla Starytska-Cherniakhivska, were arrested by the NKVD. They were deported to Kazakhstan and died (were shot?) en route.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]