The Arakelians of Detroit and George at 100

The Arakelian name in Detroit has significant meaning.

The Arakelian family and its contributions could easily be a chapter in a book about the St. Sarkis Church community. The fact that the church hall is named after Lillian Arakelian reflects not only a person but a family that, with decades of service, helped build a little Armenia.

Lillian was a medical technician at Henry Ford Hospital. An active member of the community, she is remembered for her fluency in Armenian and her regular participation, including various recitations, at community events. In significant measure, she helped form the Sunday School, where she taught for many years. After a 10-year battle with a form of lupus, she passed away at age 33.

“My grandfather and grandmother — Andrew and Sophie — were very active in the community, and they made a donation to the church in my aunt’s memory, recognizing her many contributions at such a young age. Lillian had carried on what her parents had started,” said Lillian’s niece Helen Knar Arakelian Cirrito.

Lillian had two brothers, George and Edward. Edward was an engineer at Delco in Indiana. He married Virginia Sohigian and proudly raised a daughter, also named Lillian.

George more than followed the Arakelian tradition of service to church and community. Earlier this year, a well-attended 100th birthday party after church was held for George at the “Lillian Arakelian Hall.” Beaming his trademark smile at his family and friends around him, dapper George was on his game as the gathering remembered his many years of service to the St. Sarkis community.

George married Zabel Gononian in 1946. They have four children —  Helen Knar, George, Christine and Paul — and seven grandchildren. George taught science in high school for many years in greater Detroit. Zabel herself was very active in the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) and the church. 

George, a successful businessman who owned a prominent Mr. Mower in Southfield, has retired and lives in Clarkston, Michigan.

Helen spent more than 30 years at a research lab at Michigan State University. She is married to Michael Cirrito and they live in Lansing, Michigan.  

Helen is her father’s daughter. Last year, Governor Gretchen Whitmer awarded her with the Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her longtime commitment and volunteer service. Her service started in 1991 and continues to this day, as she has assisted hundreds of Armenians from Baku in relocating to Lansing and Grand Rapids.

Christine, many years a medical assistant, married the Providence community’s Steve Kanarian and is active in community affairs in greater Boston.

Paul, a CPA, married the Boston community’s Sema Chebookjian and also lives in greater Boston.

Helen, for many years a Lansing resident, remembers with pride her father’s volunteer roles over the decades: “When we were young, mom used to tell dad there was a need for a Sunday School and that since he was a teacher he had to start one — and he did. Since we did not have Armenian materials, he used curriculum from the Episcopal church as a start until appropriate Armenian materials were available. He found people to teach also, including mom,” she said.

George was the Sunday School superintendent and teacher, with Zabel at his side also teaching. Simply put, it can be said that the idea of a St. Sarkis Sunday School was created at the Arakelian kitchen table. While George is referred to as the godfather of the current St. Sarkis Church, it can also be said that he and Zabel were godparents to the creation of a Sunday School for the children of the community.

This was in the late ‘40s and ‘50s, when the church, located in Detroit, was referred to as the Hye Getron. Later, the community decided to move from Detroit to Dearborn, buying property  from Ford Motor Co. A new St. Sarkis Church building committee was created in 1956 with 13 members and George as co-chair. Years of planning and fundraising followed. 

The groundbreaking was in 1961, and the church was built in 1962. George served for the full six years. Other community members served as needed with varied skills and experience to help with the planning and building process.

Dave Karapetian adds another volunteer remembrance: “George, with my father and others,  served on many fundraising committees for the ARS Day School. He was always available to help in any aspect of creating and enhancing community activities,” Karapetian said. “If you had to search for a person whose family heritage speaks of dedication to family and church community, your search would quickly settle on George Arakelian.” 

“Throughout his lifetime, George has extended his welcome and helping hand to countless individuals and families, no matter their place in the community. He models the dignity and caring that is so needed in our evolving nation and beloved Armenian community,” Karapetian added.

Movses Shrikian, whose father Rev. Dr. Gorun Shrikian served as priest at St. Sarkis for 33 years, has served as deacon and multiple terms on the church board. His memories of George’s participation are vivid.

“George served many terms on the Board of Trustees. BOT meetings were held at the church, and many other meetings were held in the basement of our house as George and others worked to create our community. In effect, he was our icon,” Shrikian said. 

“Khoren Catholicos visited our community many years ago in the late ‘60s, and as part of his trip, George, his father Andrew and family hosted him and our family at the Arakelian lake house in Independence Township. That is a childhood memory etched in my mind. I can still picture scenes,” Shrikian added.

Decades of Arakelian family commitment contributed greatly to the creation of the little Armenia symbolized by the St. Sarkis Church of Dearborn, Michigan. The community will always respect the Arakelian chapter in the life of the St. Sarkis community.

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Harry Derderian

Harry Derderian is a native of Indian Orchard, Mass and resident of S. Lyon, Mich. He is a member of the marketing faculty at Eastern Michigan University as well as an adjunct professor of business at Schoolcraft Community College.

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