PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:
April 23, 2014 – Special Edition
The Armenian Prelacy
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY
10016
tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Email: [email protected]
IN MEMORIAM
ONNIC MARASHIAN 1925-2014
Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, decorates Onnic
Marashian with the Prince of Cilicia insignia, the highest civilian
honor bestowed by the Holy See of Cilicia, May 1996.
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan and the Religious and Executive
Councils announce with sorrow the passing of Mr. Onnic Marashian, a
long-time servant of the Armenian Church. He was a Pillar of the
Prelacy and was awarded the Prince of Cilicia insignia in recognition
of his many years of service to the Armenian Church and the Eastern
Prelacy. Mr. Marashian died yesterday, April 22, after a short
illness.
A National Funeral (Azkayin Taghoum) will take place at
Sts. Vartanantz Church, 461 Bergen Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey,
on Saturday, April 26, with visiting from 10 to 11 am, and funeral
services at 11 a.m., with the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan,
officiating. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park
in Paramus, New Jersey. A memorial luncheon will be offered at
Sts. Vartanantz Church.
Mr. Marashian is survived by his wife, Vergine, his daughter Hera and
her husband John Williams; son Mardic and his wife Carol; and five
grandchildren. A son, Asbed, and daughter-in-law, Sosy, and a brother,
Joseph, predeceased him.
Mr. Marashian served on the Prelacy’s Executive Council for many years
beginning in 1979 and continuing on until 1999. During his tenure he
served as the Council’s secretary for a number of years and as its
chairman from 1994 to 1999. He served as a delegate to the World
General Assembly in Antelias, was elected to the Central Executive in
Antelias, and served as a delegate to the Prelacy’s National
Representative Assembly. The Prince of Cilicia medal, the highest
civilian award offered by the Holy See of Cilicia, was presented to
him in May 1996.
Mr. Marashian was a well-known specialist in the energy industry and
was employed for many years by the McGraw-Hill Company, where he
served as editor-in-chief of the influential publication Platt’s
Oilgram. Following his retirement, McGraw-Hill retained him as a
consultant for many years. He is the author of numerous articles in
his field of expertise where he was an internationally recognized,
respected, and honored colleague.
In lieu-of-flowers donations may be made to the Eastern Prelacy of the
Armenian Apostolic Church of America and to Sts. Vartanantz Armenian
Apostolic Church.
IN MEMORIAM
LUCY ISHKANIAN TANKIAN
1934-2014
Archbishop Oshagan presents Lucy Ishkanian the Queen Zabel Award in
2011.
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan and the Religious and Executive
Councils announce with profound sorrow the passing of Lucy Ishkanian
Tankian, on April 20, 2014. She was a dedicated supporter of the
Eastern Prelacy, and she and her husband were Pillars of the Prelacy.
Ms. Ishkanian, an accomplished concert pianist, was recognized
internationally. She generously gave her time and expertise to the
artistic community through her support of the education and careers of
young artists. In 1992 she founded the Juilliard-Komitas friendship
program that offers gifted students from the Komitas Conservatory in
Yerevan, Armenia, the opportunity to study at The Juilliard School in
New York.
The Wake/Homecoming service will take place Thursday evening, April
24, at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York
City, from 6 to 8 pm, with a service at 8 pm. The Funeral service,
officiated by Archbishop Oshagan, will take place on Friday, April 25,
at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral at 10 am. Interment will follow at
Cedar Grove Cemetery in Queens.
Ms. Ishkanian is survived by her husband, Hagop Tankian. A brother,
Vahe, predeceased her.
Ms. Ishkanian was a valued member of the Prelacy’s Musical Armenia
committee that each year selected an artist or artists to be featured
at the annual Musical Armenia concert in Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital
Hall.
In appreciation of her life-long dedication to the Prelacy and the
arts, the Prelacy honored her at a luncheon on May 2, 2011, where
Archbishop Oshagan decorated her with the Queen Zabel Award, one of
two high honors awarded by the Eastern Prelacy.
She gave her first recital at age seven, two years after becoming the
youngest student ever accepted to the Juilliard Preparatory
Division. She continued her education in the college division of
Juilliard, graduating with both a Bachelor of Science and Master of
Science degrees. She also went on to complete requirements for a PhD
degree at Columbia University.
In lieu-of-flowers donations may be made to St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral or to the Juilliard Armenian Scholarship Fund.
IN MEMORIAM
HARRY KOUNDAKJIAN
1931-2014
His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan and the Religious and Executive
Councils announce with great sorrow the passing of Harry Koundakjian,
a former Associated Press photographer and photo editor on Monday,
April 21.
Mr. Koundakjian, who colleagues considered to be the father of
photojournalism in the Middle East, was a familiar presence (along
with his camera) in the Armenian American community. He captured the
images of every major event and then emailed the images worldwide. In
October 2005, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of
Cilicia, decorated him with the Mesrob Mashdotz medal during a
pontifical visit to the United States in appreciation of his lifelong
contributions.
Mr. Koundakjian is survived by his wife Aida, son Vicken, and daughter
Lola. Funeral Services will take place Saturday, April 27, at the
Armenian Evangelical Church in New York City. Rev. Fr. Mesrob
Lakissian, pastor of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, will represent the
Prelate. In accordance with Mr. Koundakjian’s wishes, his ashes will
be taken to Lebanon.
He joined the Associated Press in Beirut in the 1960s and covered all
Middle East events, including the civil war in his beloved Lebanon
from 1973 until 1979, when he was transferred to the Associated Press
headquarters in New York City.
In a 2005 interview he told the interviewer, `I’ll always have a
camera around my neck, even when I’m buried.’
Asdvatz Irents Hokinere Lousavoreh
May God Illuminate their Souls
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site.
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Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected]
From: A. Papazian