Santought 'Susie' Arsenian Malkonian

Santought 'Susie' Arsenian Malkonian , 91

Troy Santought 'Susie' Arsenian Malkonian , 91 ,of Troy was called by God to her heavenly home in the early hours of June 19, 2004 after a brief illness.

Born in Arabkir Turkey, she was the daughter of the late Haratune and Maritza Kendigian Arsenian and wife of the late Andrew (Antranig) Malkonian.

Her father, Artin, was killed by the Turks in 1915. Before being put to death, asked to see his only child, Santought, and handed her to his youngest brother-in-law, Kevork Kendigian, hoping that the Turks would spare the youthful Kevork and that his daughter would thus be appropriately raised safely.

Nurtured In her maternal uncle's household, along with her mother, grandmother and aunts, she was moved with the family to Aleppo, Syria in 1923. There, she attended elementary school at the Haigazian Institute graduating in 1927. To continue her studies, she was enrolled at the Immaculate Conception Convent for secondary education. To defray educational costs, her mother worked in the kitchen of the convent. Later, fearing plans to have her. converted and entered into sisterhood, her mother and she fled over the wall one night and slipped away.

Wishing for a more secure future for her daughter, Maritza emigrated to the United States in 1930, marrying there in Philadelphia, a fellow countryman, Michael Yeramian, who had lost his wife and children in the Turkish massacres. Santought stayed in Aleppo and for three years worked in a men's clothing store owned by her Uncle Kevork. She was sent for by her mother in 1933.

For two years, Santought attended the Campbell School of Philadelphia, a private Institution specializing in bi-lingual education. On March 2, 1935, after a whirlwind courtship, she married Antranig Malkonian, son of her father's classmate from Arabkir. Antranig and Santought had three daughters Thelma, Diana and Helen for whom they worked hard to provide a stable, caring environment and the best educational opportunities so that they would attain the high educational goals which she had always sought. She instilled in them, as did he, a sound religious foundation, marked by service to the church as well as the community at large. As he served on the altar, in his role as Archdeacon, she also served auxiliary organizations of the church, while preparing for many years the "MAS" or unleavened bread shared after services by the parishioners. During World War II, as Antranig served his country, she actively participated in the Armenian Red Cross for many years and in that capacity, after the war, provided a home and a new beginning for a German-Armenian refugee through the efforts of "Ancha."

She and Antranig would have celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary but regrettably missed the happy event due to his untimely death two weeks before that special date. Her final days were filled with loving conversations and caring thoughts of her family.

As a homemaker, she had many interests including, gourmet cook, baking, knitting, crocheting needlepoint and was an avid reader and linguist.

She was a member of the Armenian Red Cross, founding member of the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church and Chaplain of the Daughters of Vartan.

She is survived by her daughters, Diana R. Malkonian of Troy and Susan Helen (Andrew) Pastor of Stilwell, KS; her grandchildren, Albert Charles Simidian Jr. of Troy, Gayle Robin Simidian of Boston and Andrew John, Aaron Arsen, Hollie Suzanne and Heidi Louise Pastor all of Kansas. She was predeceased by her daughter, Thelma Malkonian Simidian.

Funeral service will be held Wednesday at 10:30 AM from the Bryce Funeral Home Inc. 276 Pawling Avenue Troy and at 11:00 AM from Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church 101 Spring Avenue Troy. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home Tuesday from 5-8 PM. Interment Elmwood Hill Cemetery Troy.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Mrs. Malkonian to the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church 101 Spring Avenue Troy, NY 12180.

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