Mary Arslanian's Obituary
Mary Arslanian (nee Kaprielian), age 97, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2023, in Westlake, Ohio, surrounded by family and with an Armenian hymn playing in the background (“Der Voghormya”). She loved and cherished her family to the very end including her one-day-old great grandson who she was able to see in her final moments.
Born on April 25, 1926, to Zabel and George Kaprielian, Mary grew up in Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from Northwestern High School in 1944, and was in the National Honor Society, Secretary of the Spanish Club and member of the A Capella Choir. Mary then worked as a secretary in the booming manufacturing industry at the time in Detroit. Additionally, in her spare time, she acted and sang in plays at the St. John’s Armenian Church in Detroit.
Mary married Nazareth (“Nat”) Arslanian in 1951 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and was happily married for 66 years. Her early married life was devoted to traditional family roles of wife, mother, and daughter, while relocating the family from Cleveland, Ohio, to E. St. Louis, Illinois, to Dayton, Ohio, to Baltimore, MD, to Jacksonville, Florida and then back to Cleveland, where she resided for the past 47 years. In each of these places, she embraced her role of ensuring a loving home for her family, making new friends, and participating in Armenian Church activities. For many years, she was active at St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church in Richmond Heights, Ohio, as church secretary, Women’s Guild Chair, choir member, and Armenian language school teacher. She also spear-headed the annual church rummage sale for over 15 years. Mary was instrumental in recruiting players for the Armenian church men’s softball team which played from 1976 to 1985, winning the title trophy an unprecedented eight times. When it came to any church-related event, Mary was a relentless fundraiser and organizer, unafraid to reach out and call every single Armenian she knew in the community for any reason.
Mary loved baseball her entire life, from listening on the radio with brother Aram when they were young, to supporting her sons playing baseball and, beginning in the 1970s, passionately following the Cleveland Indians well into her later years.
Mary never had a serious illness in her life, except for one very scary time in 1966 when she slipped into a coma about 3 months after childbirth. As the priest gave the Last Rites, she miraculously woke up and asked, “What are you doing here?” She returned to the workforce in the mid-1970s as a secretary, including working with her husband Nat in his financial planning business. Ultimately, she found her true passion to be caring for children. From age 60 to 85, she cared for many, many babies and children, including her own grandchildren.
Mary is survived by her loving son Charles of Jacksonville, Florida, devoted daughters Cheryl Arslanian (Jim Gideon) of North Olmsted, Ohio, and Lucine (Ken) King of Moorestown, New Jersey; caring grandchildren Melanie Kugel (Josh) of Tuckahoe, New York, Valerie Kette (Tyler), of Lakewood, Ohio, and Shannon King and Robert King of Moorestown, New Jersey; great grandchildren Jaxson James, Poppy Sue, Greyson Henry; numerous nieces and nephews; and other extended family members, friends and caregivers.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband Nazareth Arslanian, son George Arslanian, brother Aram Kaprielian, and granddaughter Taline King.
ALL SERVICES will be held on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2023, at St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church, 678 Richmond Rd. Richmond Heights, Ohio 44143. VISITATION will be from 4-6 PM. FUNERAL SERVICE 6 PM. Interment is on Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, 10am, at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made “In Memory of Mary Arslanian” to St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church, 678 Richmond Rd., Richmond Heights, Ohio 44143 or to The Taline King Charitable Fund, 1000 Bishops Gate Blvd., Suite 201, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054. Condolences may be left on Jardine Funeral Home’s online guest book at www.jardinefh.com.
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