Obituary: Arpena Sachaklian Mesrobian, 91

Arpena Sachaklian Mesrobian, publisher, beloved wife, mother, sister, and aunt, and dedicated Armenian, died Christmas Day 2008 in Springfield, Mass. Her funeral service and burial followed in Syracuse, N.Y.

The Armenian name Arpena derives from the ancient Armenian word for “sun”—and she truly brought sunshine into the lives of her family members, friends, and associates. She was born to Aaron Sachaklian, former manager of the Hairenik, and Eliza Der Melkonian Sachaklian on Nov. 11, 1917 in Boston, Mass., and lived most of her life in Syracuse, N.Y.

In 1940, she married William J. Mesrobian and raised two children, William and Marian, becoming a role model for how to manage both family and career in the post-war cultural environment. In 1938, she traveled to Beirut, Lebanon to study under Levon Shant and returned to Syracuse a year later because World War II was threatening to erupt. The rest of her education—a BA and an MA in history from Syracuse University—was accomplished through adult education programs at night while she was working full-time, raising her children, maintaining a household, and engaging in community activities. Her master’s thesis culminated in her acclaimed book Like One Family: The Armenians of Syracuse, the first comprehensive study of an Armenian community in the United States.

Arpena S. Mesrobian began her career as a proofreader for the Orange Publishing Company and through talent, brilliance, and determination became the first executive editor and then director of Syracuse University Press, a position she retired from twice. She received the Woman of the Year Award from the Syracuse Post Standard, the Syracuse University Chancellor’s Certificate of Excellence Award, among others, and she traveled to Malaysia on behalf of the United States Information Agency to help set up a university press there. She was a member of Zonta and Library Associates of Syracuse University.

Arpena’s professional and personal life demonstrated a strong commitment to her Armenian heritage. In addition to her book Like One Family, after her return from Beirut in 1939 she wrote a series of articles for the Armenian Weekly, she researched her father’s role in the Armenian Freedom Fighters movement, served for many years on the Board of Trustees of St. John the Baptist Armenian Apostolic Church in Syracuse, N.Y., created the series “Contemporary Issues in the Middle East” published by the Syracuse University Press, was an active member of the Syracuse chapter of the Armenian Relief Society, and traveled twice to Armenia, the second and last time at the age of 87 with her grandchildren, Robert and Meline MacCurdy.

She was predeceased by her husband William J., son William S., brother Col. Harry Sachaklian, and sister Stella Rustigian. She is survived by her daughter, Marian Mesrobian MacCurdy of Belchertown, Mass., four grandchildren, Robert MacCurdy, Meline MacCurdy, Ani Mesrobian, and Berj Mesrobian, nieces and nephew, Arsine Oshagan, Jackie Rustigian, and Col. George Rustigian, and her Der Melkonian cousins—Chake, Souren, Elo, Berjouhi, and Kegharpi.

At her mother’s funeral in 1990, Arpena read a poem that her mother used to recite and which Arpena included in her book, that articulated a dream for unity for the Armenian people:

 Our nation is one,
 Our language is one,
 Our church is one,
 Why should not our hearts be one?

Arpena was dedicated to the hope of a strong, united Armenia—and united Armenians. She leaves us with the promise of that hope.

Arpena Sachaklian Mesrobian was the last sibling in an indomitable family. She was a consummate professional and an Armenian fully dedicated to her family and to her heritage. Her sense of humor, powers of analysis, zest for life, and love for her family never wavered, nor did her sense of perspective even during her last illness. To the very end her beauty, intelligence, goodness, and purity of heart remained. She is deeply missed.

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