Iskouhie (Dournayan) Eurdolian of Stoneham passed unexpectedly at 94, on March 26, 2024. She was the beloved wife of the late Nishan Eurdolian, devoted mother of Mary Yertissian, John Eurdolian and his wife Carolyn, Nora Rosse and her husband Richard, and Roushi Sahagen and her husband Gregory.
The cherished grandmother of Karen, Alexandra, Lara, Renee, Andrew, Christina and the late Vicken, Iskouhie was also the adoring great-grandmother of Alex, Daniel, Sterling, Skylar, Maia and Lucas.
Iskouhie was born on December 6, 1929, in Lebanon, to Rebecca and Joseph Dournayan. She was the third of five children: Antoine, Marie, Iskouhie, Alphonse and Raphael. They narrowly escaped to Lebanon during the Armenian Genocide in the 1920s. In her early years, the family moved back to Alexandrette, Turkey for a time. When the French left Turkey in 1939, she and some of her siblings returned to Beirut with a group of nuns, the rest following later.
She attended French schools in Beirut. In her teens, Iskouhie worked in a clinic where she was empowered to treat patients under a doctor’s supervision. She became an important member of the community because she was able to dispense medications and give injections to the sick and needy.
Iskouhie met Nishan Eurdolian in 1946, after exchanging glances on a tram. Finding her very beautiful, Nishan inquired about her, and a meeting of the families was arranged. They married when Iskouhie was 17 and had four children: Mary, John, Nora and Roushi. Iskouhie was a devoted mother and masterful at so many things – sewing, crochet, gardening – but her greatest talent was cooking. She recalled that, as a very little girl, she desperately wanted to learn to cook. Too young for most tasks, her mother and aunt would give her dough to roll out so she would feel industrious.
Always enterprising, one of Iskouhie’s proudest triumphs was supervising the construction of a four-story apartment building in Beirut, in which they lived, and where she served as landlady for the other three units.
In 1969, Iskouhie and Nishan moved the family to the U.S. under the sponsorship of their cousins in Wakefield. The day after they arrived, Iskouhie and Nishan went to work in the factory at LB Evans Shoes, and the four kids started school.
In 1977, Iskouhie and Nishan began to help John with cooking for the cafe he had opened on Newbury St. called Karoun. Ultimately, John opened the larger Karoun Restaurant in Newton, and they both helped full-time with that venture. Nishan passed away in 2015, and Iskouhie was devastated.
Iskouhie’s delicious dishes from her family recipes were the backbone of Karoun’s menu, and her dedication in the kitchen was unparalleled. One of the greatest joys of her life was having her four children work together at the restaurant – and eventually her grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren, too. She enjoyed extending her hospitality to Karoun’s customers, and many became like extended family.
Iskouhie was a loving, caring and generous matriarch. Elegant, smart, strong and practical, she was a tour de force. She reveled in telling stories of her childhood and loved to laugh. She was exceedingly sharp, and her card playing skills were impressive, even into her later years.
Iskouhie adored each of her children and their families and cared about their happiness above all else. She would pray daily for their wellbeing. She was a beautiful role model of faith, courage, selflessness, hard work and hospitality. She leaves an enduring legacy and will be dearly missed. Hers was a life fully lived.
Funeral service will be held at Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church, 200 Lexington Street, Belmont on Tuesday, April 2 at 11:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held at the church on Tuesday morning from 10–11 a.m. immediately prior to the funeral service. Interment will be at Ridgelawn Cemetery in Watertown.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church or Children of Armenia Fund (COAF).
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