Alexander Goltsov

 “Houston, we’ve got problems.”

Alexander Goltsov, a loving man of great integrity and intellect, passed away January 29, 2024. Born in Saint Petersburg, Alexander grew up in the small town of Peschanka, 8 km away from Chita (Russian Federation). 

Alexander’s mind was his gift. He graduated from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (PhD, MIPT; Dr.Sci., Kurchatov Institute. Plasma physics, Fast lasers, Nanooptics) and School #4, Chita, Russian Federation, class A, 1969. He was deeply devoted to his work of experimental physics. The lab was his home and nothing could keep him from it. Alexander received numerous awards for his outstanding achievements, including the medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow." 

Alexander also had the gift of family. In 1970, he met Lioudmila Domysheva, a fellow student at Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Lioudmila first saw him at a lecture and thought he looked like Jesus Christ. They married in 1975 and welcomed their daughter, Olga Goltsova, on June 20, 1980.

Alexander loved spending time with his family and friends, especially over a game of Bridge. He travelled a lot throughout his life, but his most cherished trip combined his love for family with his love for travel. In 2010, he visited the Holy Land (Israel) with his daughter Olga and his son-in-law, Paul. 

He was a devout Orthodox Christian. He greatly loved the Russian Orthodox Church as even to the last days he partook of the Holy Mysteries. Join us for Alexander’s funeral service led by Father Joseph Thornburg.

Alexander was preceded in death by his wife of 48 years, Lioudmila Domysheva; and his parents, Yury Mitrofanovich Goltsov and Lyudmila Pavlovna Goltsova

Left to carry Alexander’s legacy is his daughter, Olga Goltsova; granddaughter, Hannah Solovyeva; brother, Sergey Goltsov. 

The family extends gratitude to Alexander’s closest friends, Dr. Anatoly Morozov from Princeton University, Trish Mosier, and Alexei Sokolov from Texas A&M, as well as his mentor, Prof. Mikhail Iosifovich Pergament, Director of Magnetic and Optical Research Department in Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Thermonuclear Research in Troitsk, Moscow, Russia. Also to the Troitsk Institute of Innovative and Thermonuclear Research located in Troitsk, Moscow, Russia where Alexander was Head of Optical Research Division, and Princeton University and Texas A&M University where he served as a visiting scientist. Thank you for the impact you had on Alexander’s life; you are deeply appreciated.

Childhood Memories

Told by his brother, Sergey Goltsov 

“A hilarious case happened when Sasha was around 16 (1968). Some friend of his went to Odessa during the summer holidays and bought a record by The Beatles at a local black market. It was the so called “disc on the bones”: a self-made copy of the prohibited Western music. It costed 25 roubles (the average monthly salary in Russia was around 100 roubles at that time). Getting a record of that kind and then listening to it was a big event. Sasha’s friends gathered at our place to listen to it with all the proper piety. Well, after they had turned on the record, the music started playing and then interrupted suddenly with a coarse voice coming from the record: “So you want music, you sucker? Like hell you will get it!” Everyone was silent. I was watching the scene through the open door.”

“Sasha has always been stubborn. When we were living in Peschanka, he used to take a bus to a musical school in Chita several times a week. He was learning to play the bayan (Russian button accordion). He was around 10-12 then. I personally don’t think he enjoyed it very much, because the fate of going to a musical school escaped me, his younger sibling."

"As all siblings do, we had fights from time to time. He was older and often had to babysit me. He, of course, would rather go about his own business, and the way out was for me to leave him myself. The classical escape would be a game of chess with its rule “once you’ve taken your figure, make your move.” He was 15 and I was 8. Young, impatient, I would grasp the figures, make my move, then try to change it to another one, which was something he wouldn’t allow. He would, however, move the figure with his own hand: “I am just making it right”. The game would usually finish by our throwing chess figures at each other. We were then separated into different rooms, and the brother would be free.”