Harry Mardirosian passed away on June 22, 2022 at the age of 99. He was the beloved husband of the late Alice for 39 years, and the devoted father of Mickey Mardirosian and Aralynn (Dicran) Haidostian. Harry was the proud grandpa of Allison (David) Baron and Lisa (Connor) Gants, and felt very blessed to have four great-grandchildren, Ellie and Jack Baron, and Mara and Miles Gants. He will be missed by his dear nieces and nephews, and his many cousins and good friends….all of whom he kept in touch with over the years.
Harry will best be remembered for his thoughtfulness, his love of all things Armenian, and his big beautiful smile!
Visitation Wednesday, June 29, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. until Harry’s 11:00 a.m. Funeral Service at St. John Armenian Church with a luncheon immediately following at Birmingham Athletic Club 4033 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to St. John Armenian Church or for humanitarian relief of Armenians living in Ukraine (checks should be made payable to St. John Armenian Church with Armenian Diocese of Ukraine written on the memo line).
Harry Mardirosian was often described as “one of a kind”. He lived life to the fullest by reaching out to countless friends and family members daily with that great cheerful voice of his. He made people feel good to be remembered….he made people happy. He passed away on June 22, 2022, at the age of 99 “and a quarter”, as he would remind us.
Harry was born in Detroit on February 24, 1923 to Mihran and Myranie Mardirosian. His brother Albert arrived two years later, and the two of them enjoyed a friendship that only grew stronger over the years.
Following his graduation from Murray Wright High School, Harry worked for Ford Motor Co. until he was drafted into the U.S. Army. Soon after the war ended, he found his lifelong career niche selling life insurance. Early on, in his mid-twenties, Harry developed a unique approach to acquire new customers. He became friendly with the office staff at all three Armenian churches in the Detroit area and regularly visited them to see the most recent lists of newly married couples at their parish. Then with no phone calls ahead of time, he would simply drive over to those homes and knock on the doors. He received a warm Armenian welcome and a cup of coffee almost every time!
In 1949 Harry met the love of his life, Alice Sogoian, and after a long courtship, they married in 1952. Off they went on a 2 ½ month honeymoon in his new Chevy convertible, driving cross country to California. They had 39 beautiful years of marriage together until her far too early passing in 1991. Today, June 29, 2022 would have been their 70th anniversary.
Harry carried on in their home, and “did the best he could”, for another 31 years. He took great joy in his family, staying very close to his children Mickey and Aralynn, and her husband Dicran Haidostian. Phone calls and visits with his grandchildren Allison (David) Baron and Lisa (Connor) Gants, and his great grandchildren, Ellie and Jack Baron and Mara and Miles Gants, brought the biggest smiles!
He was as proud an Armenian as one could be, and active in many organizations. He had a great passion for classic cars, big band and of course, Armenian music and dancing.
You could always count on Harry to deliver a great joke, and he would love to know we shared one of his favorites today…
“The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted it on the apple tray:
‘Take only ONE. God is watching’. Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, ‘Take all you want. God is watching the apples’.”
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