Michail Choubin Jr

Michail Choubin a Vietnam Veteran and long-time resident of Madera passed away on Sunday, November 14, 2021 with Diana at his side. Mike was born on January 20, 1948 to his parents, Mary and Michail Shubin. He attended Madera Union High School before enlisting in the United States Army during the Tet Offensive, the deadliest Offensive ever, that began on January 31, 1968 the very same year Mike enlisted.

The U.S. Army recognized Mike for his honorable and courageous service with a Purple Heart. Specifically for his heroic action as point man in a special unit of five soldiers that volunteered to scout and locate the enemy villages and report, back to base camp. Mike would not speak of this time very much, what he did say was “The Army teaches how to kill but they don’t teach how to forget”. Mike served three months shy of one year in Vietnam before he was wounded when he stepped on a landmine. He recovered in Japan and Hawaii then was later stationed at Fort Ord, California.

In 1971, he married Diana Barragan, a classmate he met in Junior High School. He was then stationed to U.S. Army Berlin Brigade as a Russian Interpreter in East Berlin where our daughter, Elona Choubin and son, Paul Michail Choubin were born. He remained stationed in Germany until his discharge in July of 1976.

Mike was preceded in death by his daughter, Elona Choubin-Castro, his parents, Michail and Mary Shubin, sister, Vera Volkhoff, and brother, Alex Shubin.

Mike is survived by his ex-wife, Diana Choubin, his son, Paul Choubin, son in law Ralph Castro as well as three grandchildren, Talia Castro, Seth Castro and Samuel Choubin, three brothers and their spouses, Bill (Martha) Shubin, Jim (Alice) Shubin, Pete (Charlesia) Shubin, two sisters, Lynda (Al) Samarin, Annie Slivkoff, sister in law, Tanya Shubin along with many nieces and nephews.

His family has organized a Memorial Service in honor of Mike’s life and Military Service that will be held at Jay Chapel Funeral Home on December 10, 2021 at 10:00 AM.

The family would like to thank Dr. Kirston, Dr. Pagoy and Dr. Chung for doing everything possible for Mike in his last days. As Dr. Chung said, “Mike is looking down on us from heaven”. Yes-------Amen.