Armenak Yervant Kutchukian

Schodack - Armenak Yervant Kutchukian, age 87, of Castleton, fell asleep in the Lord on June 30, 2016 at home in the presence of his loving wife after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was born on February 11, 1929 in Alexandria, Egypt to Yervant and Elise (Melkonian) Kutchukian. He began his formal education at Balayan School and continued at the British Boys School from which he matriculated. Following studies at American University of Beirut he returned to Alexandria to work with his father at the family business, Armenak Kutchukian et fils. 

Following service in the Egyptian Navy, he left Egypt just before the Suez Crisis and joined his family in Lebanon, where he began his lifelong career as an auto mechanic. Amidst political unrest he immigrated to the United States in 1962, joining his mother in the Capital District, where eventually the whole family was reunited. He enjoyed a long career as a beloved auto mechanic, including as a partner at M&A Foreign Car Service and as an independent mechanic. In retirement he rekindled his love of baking and enjoyed sharing the fruits of his labors with family and friends at every opportunity. This connection with his baker forbears in Aintab was deep and abiding and he instilled this legacy in his children and grandchildren. He was a lifelong student especially of history and biblical studies and devoted much time to prayer and Scripture. He loved classical music and bore this out as an accomplished pianist and piano tuner. He will be remembered for his composition of the Lord’s prayer in Armenian. He was proud of his Armenian heritage and his Aintabtsi roots and loved and revered Armenian, his mother tongue. Above all he cherished God, his family, and his church. A long-time member of Loudonville Community Church where he taught Sunday School and Bible Studies, he subsequently became an active member of St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, especially enjoying Bible Study, Prayer Group, Meditation on Narek, and baking days. He delighted in Sunday family gatherings, a tradition going back to his childhood in Egypt. 

He is survived by his loving wife of forty years, Winifred (Skiff) Kutchukian; daughter Joy (Daniel) Walsh; sons Yervant and Peter Kutchukian; grandsons Evan (fiancée Beth Leety) Walsh, Brady Walsh, and Benjamin Mousseau; sister Sylvia Kutchukian; brother Samuel (Peggy) Kutchukian; an aunt, several nieces and nephews, and many cousins. 

The Kutchukian family would like to extend our gratitude to the staff of Community Hospice and NYOH. 

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 9, 2016 at 11:00 am at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, 100 Troy-Schenectady Rd., Watervliet, with the Rev. Stepanos Doudoukjian officiating. Burial will follow at Horizon View Cemetery in Castleton. Following the burial, all are invited back to the church to share in a hokejash memorial meal. The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on Friday, July 8 at St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet, with the wake service at 6:30 pm. Interment will be in Horizon View Cemetery, Castleton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Armenak’s name to St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, PO Box 196, Watervliet, NY 12189, the Armenian Missionary Association of America, Inc., 31 West Century Road, Paramus, NJ 07652, or The Community Hospice of Rensselaer County, 310 S. Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208.  

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