SLAIN VALLEY PAIR REMEMBERED FAMILY, FRIENDS MOURN LIVES CUT SHORT.

Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer

Two weeks after their bodies were pulled out of a Sierra Nevada reservoir, two San Fernando Valley Russian immigrants were laid to rest Sunday in separate Jewish funeral services at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

``Darkness has come into our lives, but we will not be destroyed by it,'' said Rabbi Robert Elias, during the service for Alexander Umansky, 35, a North Hollywood businessman. ``We can smile for Alex. He's going to go home today. He's going to go to a better place, a fair place.''

The services capped an emotional period for the family and friends of Umansky and Rita Pekler, 39, of Encino, whose bodies were found in the New Melones Reservoir east of Stockton in mid-March.

These two and three others - Nick Kharabadze, 29, a promising filmmaker from Woodland Hills, home builder Meyer Muscatel, 58, of Sherman Oaks, and Georgy Safiev, 37, of Beverly Hills, were also found in the reservoir, believed by authorities to have been kidnapped for ransom and killed by Russian mobsters. Six men are in custody in the case.

Hundreds of friends and family members gathered Sunday under sunny skies for the services.

About 200 family and friends walked from the chapel along a 300-yard path to the grave site Sunday morning behind the black hearse containing the closed casket of Pekler.

Before lowering the casket into the ground, the rabbi put small shovelfuls of dirt on the casket, and then opened a packet of sacred earth from Israel and poured it on top.

It was a day filled with sadness and anger.

``It's an extremely painful day,'' said Pekler's friend, Leo Ryvkin, 38, of Encino. ``She was a loving mother. She'll be missed. She was senselessly killed by people who shouldn't be occupying the same space we're occupying.''

Milla Shaposhnik, 34, could barely contain her emotions as she spoke of a loving friend, who had planned to go to sushi with her before she disappeared.

``She said she'd call ... and we'd go for sushi,'' Shaposhnik said, wiping tears from her eyes. ``I'll always remember her smile. She was always there for me.''

About 300 people came out to celebrate Umansky's life. A large photo of the beaming Umansky sat attached to a large colorful floral arrangement at his grave site.

Umansky, who came to the United States when he was 7 years old, disappeared Dec. 13 after telling workers he was going to see a client to demonstrate equipment installed in a sport utility vehicle.

He owned an automotive electronics store, Hard Wired Accessories, in North Hollywood.

Lining one side of the grave site were dozens of colorful floral arrangements. Along the other side, throngs of mourners, many dressed in black, sat under two large canopies. Many others stood.

Friends took to a microphone placed next to Umansky's grave, and paid tribute to a devoted friend. Some read poems in Russian. Others sang mournful songs.

But even in sorrow, some found reasons to smile.

``He's probably up in heaven with the DVD player, the TV and the radio,'' said friend Jay Schwartz, 36, of Sherman Oaks.

``He was such a kind man, such a good friend,'' Schwartz said. ``I have been crying for days for Alex, wondering where my friend is. If God is up there, and I know he is, then he has taken my friend into his heart. My heart is broken. Alex rest your soul.''

Jesse Ortiz, who worked with Umansky, read from a prepared speech.

``Alex was always there for me,'' Ortiz said. ``He always had a smile on his face. I was proud to work by his side. I wish for his soul to be at rest.''

Rabbi Elias spoke of the tragedy of a life cut short.

``Some people live twice as long, almost three times as long as Alex,'' he said. ``But in his short life, he packed into it a great life.

``We know sometimes that great souls have to come here a short time. We believe his soul was perfect and he was ready to go back to God.''

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(1 -- 2) Above, Roman Pekler is consoled during services for his late wife, Rita, 39. At left, Elizabeth Umansky grieves for her son, Alex, during his funeral Sunday.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer