Mary Jerikian Mardoian passed away peacefully on December 10, 2024 at the Balmoral Care Center in Lake Forest, Illinois.
Mary was born on Palm Sunday, April 1, 1928, in Waukegan, Illinois to Humayag and Annagil Jerikian, survivors of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government in 1915 against the Armenian people. She was married to Avedis Harold Mardoian on May 27, 1951. They were married for 59 years until his passing in 2010. She was predeceased by her parents, the father that raised her Karekin Jerikian, her in-laws Hagop and Zartar Mardoian, and her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Alex (Arsh) Mardoian, Benjamin (Sophie) Mardoian and Dorthy Jerikian.
Throughout her entire life Mary passionately and energetically embraced her Armenian heritage, a trait she passed on to her children and grandchildren. She was a charter member of the Waukegan Tzeghagrons, now the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF). She was a member of the Waukegan Armen Garo chapter of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) and a lifelong member of the Armenian Relief Society (ARS). Mary taught in the ARS Armenian Saturday School in Waukegan. Being a gifted soprano, Mary was chosen as a soloist for the pontifical visits of two Catholicoi of the Armenian church. She was a long-standing, faithful and devoted member of the Armenian All Saints Church in Glenview, IL. In 2008, Mary was chosen as the Armenian Prelacy’s Mother of the Year, a well-deserved honor she and her family cherished.
Mary was a proud daughter of Waukegan, Illinois where she was born, raised and started her own family. She honed her vocal skills in the Waukegan Philharmonic. She participated in the YWCA World Fellowship cultural weekend for many years, and she was a graduate of Waukegan Township High School.
In 1965, the Mardoian family moved to Lake Forest, Illinois where Mary lived until her passing. She embraced Lake Forest with the same devotion and passion as her hometown of Waukegan. She was a member of the Lake Forest Newcomer’s Club and then the Lake Forest Women’s Club. Mary, as part of the Newcomers club, got active in the Lake Forest Book Review in 1965. She became the driving force of the Book Review and presided over it until 2019.
Mary is survived by her three children, Jack Carl Mardoian (Christine Der Avedisian), Judy Annagil (Mark) Gavoor and Debra Zartar (John) Haroian. She was the loving, doting and devoted ‘Nana’ to her grandchildren Aram Avedis (Anoush) Gavoor, Armenè Mary (Michael) Kapamajian, Melineh Sirarpin (Kevork Chavoush) Mesrobian and Adrineh Maral (Shahe Papissian) Mardoian. She delighted in being ‘Nana’ to her great-granchildren Aris, Lara and Haig Gavoor; Vaughn and Sasoun Kapamajian; and Karekin, Sebouh and Datev Mesrobian. She leaves her two brothers Michael Jerikian and his partner Kathy Bratzke and John (Ardemis) Jerikian. Mary was richly blessed with many cousins, nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, friends and neighbors, all of whom she cherished dearly.
The funeral will take place on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 11 a.m. at the Armenian All Saints Church, 1701 N. Greenwood Road, Glenview, Illinois. Those wishing to pay their respects prior to the funeral service are invited to come to the church beginning at 10 a.m. on the morning of the funeral. The interment will be at the North Shore Garden of Memories in North Chicago, Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to the Armenian All Saints Church (www.armenianallsaints.org) or AYF Camp Haiastan, Franklin, MA (www.camphaiastan.org).
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