In memory of Siran Salibian
Siran Salibian, the decades-long activity director of the Armenian Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2025 in Irvine, California, with her beloved children, Garo and Rita, by her side. She was 90 years old.
Siran was born on November 17, 1934 in Damascus, Syria, to Armenag and Vera Mahdessian. She grew up with two brothers, Avedis and Ghevont, and an older sister, Elmast.
A compassionate and dedicated lifelong caretaker, Siran began her career as a young nurse in the pediatric polio unit at the American University Hospital of Beirut (AUHB), tenderly caring for infants suffering from the dreaded infectious disease.
In April 1958, she married Neshan Salibian. Together, they built a peaceful and simple life grounded in unconditional love and mutual respect. In their humble home in Bourj Hammoud, they enjoyed summer nights on the balcony, reflecting on their day and taking in the sights and sounds of the neighborhood below. On Sundays, they would explore the countryside or treat their children with an outing to Jounieh for ice cream—the ones with bubble gum at the bottom of the cone. They would return home for a traditional hearty dinner around their kitchen table.
Their love story was cut short by his untimely death after 16 years of marriage. A resilient woman, Siran found strength in her grief to carry on for her children. She continued to sacrifice precious time with them to provide round-the-clock care for the young patients at AUHB. After sustaining a back injury, she transitioned to a desk job as a phone operator at the hospital.
When the Lebanese Civil War broke out in 1975, Siran was stranded at work for a year. Her children, who were staying with family in Antelias at the time, would call the hospital each day, hoping their mother would be the voice that answered.
Determined to provide a safer and more secure life away from the uncertainties of war and its far-reaching consequences, Siran immigrated to the United States in September 1976. For a widow with two children, the journey was risky and arduous, but her tenacity was unmatched. With the help of dear friends Harry and Hrip Parsekian, the family eventually settled in Watertown, Massachusetts. Siran would work multiple jobs, often overnight shifts, to make ends meet. They later moved from a one-bedroom apartment on Arlington Street into a charming two-story home on Milner Street in Waltham.
The hallmark of Siran Salibian’s legacy, however, will forever be her 40-year tenure as activity director of the Armenian Nursing & Rehabilitation Center—a community she served tirelessly. This was not just a job; it was her calling. Siran was a hero to the hundreds of residents blessed to be in her care. She danced with them, hosted ice cream parties for them on the patio, baked Easter cookies with them, rolled sarma with them, prayed with them and advocated for them.
Every year around April 24, she would transport residents—several of whom were Genocide survivors—to the Massachusetts State House so that they could participate in the commemoration. She lovingly called her residents “mama” and “hayrig.” When asked to reflect on her life, she would say, “My family, my work and the residents are my blessing. I would do it all over again.”
It’s safe to say there will never be another “Deegeen Siran.”
Siran is survived by her children: Garo Salibian and his wife Salpi of Irvine, California; and Rita Yeretzian and her husband Kevork of Marlborough, Massachusetts. She was blessed with four grandchildren—Leeza Arakelian, Garren Salibian, Shant Yeretzian and Arek Salibian—and three great-grandchildren—Alik Arakelian and sisters Liana and Mia Salibian.
Family, friends, and community members are invited to attend funeral services on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. Auburn Street in Watertown, Massachusetts. A public viewing will be held inside the church at 10 a.m., followed by services at 11 a.m. Siran’s final resting place will be at Mount Feake Cemetery in Waltham, Massachusetts.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Siran’s memory may be made to the Armenian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA), 435 Pond Street, Jamaica Plain, Mass. 02130, St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, Mass. 02472 or St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church, 38 Elton Ave., Watertown, Mass. 02472.
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