OUTSPOKEN GENOCIDE WITNESS, ADL VETERAN, APRAHAMIAN DIES AT AGE 101
AZG Armenian Daily
05/09/2008
Armenian Genocide
DETROIT – Centenarian Souren Aprahamian, a pillar of the Armenian
community here, died on August 6 at the Sunrise Assisted Living
in Farmington Hills after a short illness. He celebrated his 101st
birthday on June 15.
Both Souren Aprahamian and his late wife, Arminuhe, were Genocide
survivors. Both were born in the village of Lezk, in Van, historic
Armenia.
Souren Aprahamian, in memory of his 35 family members who died in the
Genocide, became a leading and eloquent spokesperson in the greater
Detroit community, both in speaking about the Genocide and in his
untiring efforts for the Armenian Cause. In 1993, he published his
autobiography, From Van to Detroit, Surviving the Armenian Genocide,
which is now in its third printing. Of the heroic defense of Van, he
describes the glorious morning of May 5, 1915, when, sitting on the
garden wall in front of the family home, he watched as the liberating
Russian army arrived in Van and saw "the numerous sailboats on Lake
Van, moving, moving, away from the seaport Avantz. It was the Turks
running away! That sight will never fade, seventy five or a hundred
years later."
Aprahamian’s incredible memory and his command of the English
language has given readers a remarkable story of survival and of the
difficulties encountered as life began anew in America. His book was
translated into Eastern Armenian and published by the Tekeyan Cultural
Association in Armenia in November 2001, at which time he was honored.
Aprahamian freely gave his book to those he thought were genuinely
interested in learning about the Genocide. In his efforts to educate
and influence, he sent letters to the media and politicians seeking
recognition of the Genocide. At the April 24 Genocide commemorations,
he was frequently interviewed by the press and television reporters. He
spoke yearly at Wayne State University and at the AGBU Alex and Marie
Manoogian Charter School in Southfield. He was often invited to high
schools to speak to students who were studying the Genocide. His last
interview, just weeks prior to his passing, was given to students from
University of Detroit/Mercy at the Sunrise Assisted Living facility
where he spent the last eight months of his life. Aprahamian’s work
as an educator and spokesman are compiled in a book titled A Journey
of One Hundred Years, which was edited by his daughter, Elizabeth,
and published in 2007 on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
Both Souren and Arminuhe Aprahamian were active members of the
Detroit-Armenian community. They were both lifelong members of the
Armenian Democratic Liberal (ADL) organization. They were carrying on
a tradition of both of their fathers, who had been disciples of the
Armenagan party founder, Mugerditch Avedisian, in Van. The Armenagan
party was the forerunner of the ADL. Both were charter members of the
Detroit Tekeyan Chapter. In January 2007, on the occasion of Souren
Aprahamian’s centennial birthday, the Detroit chapters of Tekeyan and
the ADL awarded him the position of Honorary Life President. In October
2007, on his 12th trip to Armenia, he was honored and presented with
an award by Tekeyan Cultural Organization of Armenia for his untiring
work on behalf of the organization.
Both Souren and Arminuhe Aprahamian became members of St. John Armenian
Church of Greater Detroit at its inception in 1931. Aprahamian served
for 18 years on the parish council. He was a member of the Knights of
Vartan. He was honored as "Father of the Year" in 1984 by the Men’s
Society of St. John; by the AGBU Detroit Men’s Chapter in 1988 with
a testimonial dinner, with both Alex and Marie Manoogian present,
for his dedicated service to church organizations; and as "Father of
the Year" in 2005 by the Women’s Guild.
Aprahamian was the son of Apraham DerStepanian and Yeghsapet
Melikian. His father died from cholera, as did thousands of others,
during their first withdrawal from Van to Eastern Armenia in 1915
when they no longer under the protection of the Russian army. In
the tortuous years following that withdrawal, Aprahamian credited
his mother’s instincts and efforts with keeping five members of the
family alive. She never gave up hope when they left Van for the last
time in 1918. They miraculously survived starvation and constant
Turkish attacks as they fled for their lives and arrived at Bakouba,
Mesopotamia (now called Iraq) under the protection of the British
army. They lived for two years in the scorching heat in refugee
tents. Aprahamian’s brother Nahabed, who was in Detroit, brought the
surviving members of the family which was comprised of Aprahamian,
mother Yeghsapet, nephew Haigaz, (Nahabed’s son) and their uncle
Roupen and wife Satenig.
They arrived in Detroit on July 4, 1921. Aprahamian began school at 14,
knowing no English but learned quickly. He received double promotions
beginning in grade school and graduated from Detroit Central High
School at 19. He attended Wayne University and graduated with a
bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1930 and a bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering in 1931.
At 24, he met Arminuhe Amirian in Niagara Falls, NY. Miraculously,
Arminuhe’s mother, Prapion, had saved her three children, Arminuhe,
Christina and Kourgan, during the eight years of the Genocide. She
was able to deliver them in 1923 to her husband Hatchig who lived
in Niagara Falls prior to the Genocide. Souren and Arminuhe were
married in Detroit on November 1, 1931. They had three children,
Ashod, Rhaffi, Edward Herach and Elizabeth.
Aprahamian worked for many years in family-owned grocery stores and
in 1942 found employment at the Detroit Ordnance District. When the
war ended in 1945, he was hired by War Assets but he resigned that
position when he and his partner Haig Hughesian bought a grocery
store, Telegraph Shopping Center, in Taylor, Mich. After selling the
store in 1957, he was rehired by the Detroit Ordnance District as a
mathematician. In 1965, he became head of the Engineering Branch of
the Quality Assurance Directorate. In 1973, after losing the vision
of his right eye, he retired after 21 years of devoted service to
the federal government and became the first recipient of the defense
supply agency distinguished service award.
Aprahamian is survived by a son, Edward, and daughter-in-law, Cynthia;
daughter Elizabeth; grandchildren Edward, Mary, Jeffrey, David and
Heidi; great-grandchildren Allison and Elizabeth; nephews and niece
Arthur, Carol and Anthony, other relatives and many friends.