Mary Vardanyan, Armenian Genocide Survivor, Dies at 112
Mary Vardanyan, one of the last survivors of Armenian Genocide, dies at 112
Mary Vardanyan, one of the last known survivors of the Armenian Genocide, has died at age 112. Born in Aintab, Cilicia, Vardanyan's earliest memories were shaped by the genocide. She and her family sought refuge in Aleppo, where she continued practicing traditional carpet weaving and handicrafts from her hometown. Her works were later exhibited at the museum of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Antelias.
In 1935, Vardanyan married violinist and composer Hovhannes Vardanyan, an Aintab native. The couple had six children before his death in 1969. In 1972, she immigrated to the United States and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts, where she lived for approximately 45 years. Her death was announced by her granddaughter, Natalie Vardanyan, on Facebook.
