With the deepest sorrow, the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America wishes to inform its faithful of the death of Yeretzgin Violet Kasparian, who passed away on March 16, 2024. She was 96.
As wife of the late husband Fr. Arnak Kasparian, Yn. Violet was one of the sturdy pillars of our Diocese for some 70 years. Indeed, it is impossible to imagine Der Arnak’s ministry without his beloved Yn. Violet by his side—and equally impossible to imagine the history of our Diocese without their sweet, devoted presence.
The Kasparians were leaders of the “pioneer” generation of Armenian-American clerical families, which began when Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan brought five promising seminarians from Jerusalem in the 1940s, to serve the growing Armenian Church of America.
Yn. Violet was deeply involved in every aspect of church life, beginning in her formative years at St. James of Nisibis Church in Evanston, IL; continuing through her long years as yeretzgin of St. John Church in Detroit, MI, and St. Thomas Church in Tenafly, NJ; and culminating in her active membership at St. Leon Church in Fair Lawn, NJ.
She had a special love of education, which she pursued both as a profession and as a personal ministry and vocation to the Lord, through her efforts in parish Sunday and Armenian schools.
Yn. Violet was a pioneering figure in the Diocesan Women’s Guild, helping to build a network among the individual parish guilds, magnifying their effectiveness in chartable outreach, and turning their energies towards the homeland through the School Bag Project, which Yn. Violet envisioned and led for some two decades. She was the first recipient of the Women’s Guild Central Council’s “Women of Wonder” (WOW) Award, for her lifetime contributions to the Armenian Church community.
Yn. Violet is survived by their children Stephen (Janet) Kasparian, Laurie (Randall) Preston, Maro Kasparian, Ardis (Robert) Waldron, and Thomas Kasparian; grandchildren Maria, Laura, Elena, Samuel, Trevor, Jacob, Micaela, Minas, and Matthew; great grandchild Alden; sisters Margaret Stepanian and Sara Cooper; and friends and many loved ones. Our prayers are with them at this time.
She was predeceased in 2017 by her beloved husband of 67 years, Der Arnak; also by her parents Harry and Yeranouhi; her brother George; and by two children, Arden and Susan.
Scroll down to read more about Yn. Violet Kasparian’s remarkable and exemplary life.
Funeral arrangements are as follows: Visiting hours will take place on Thursday, March 21, from 4 to 8 p.m., with the Dahn Gark (wake) service at 7 p.m., at St. Leon Armenian Church (12-61 Saddle River Rd., Fair Lawn, NJ).
The funeral service will be held on Friday, March 22, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Leon Church. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus. The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF).
May our Lord grant rest to His servant Yeretzgin Violet Kasparian, and remember her on the great day of His judgment.
Prayerfully,
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate
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Yeretzgin Violet Kasparian
August 14, 1927 – March 16, 2024
Violet A. Kasparian, passed away peacefully at home at the age of 96, on March 16, 2024. Born a fraternal twin, with sister Margaret, in Chicago, IL, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Yeranouhi.
She graduated from Evanston High School two years early at the age of 16. She was accepted and took classes at Northwestern University while working as a secretary and stenographer for the U.S. Army. Violet attended St. James Armenian Church of Evanston, IL, where she sang in the church choir and was an active member of the Armenian Church Youth Organization.
In 1951, she married the Rev. Fr. Arnak Kasparian and moved to New Britain, CT. When Fr. Arnak was assigned as assistant pastor at St. John Armenian Church, she moved to Detroit, MI. She acted as church secretary while raising four children in Detroit.
In 1962, she moved to New Jersey after her husband accepted the pastorate at St. Thomas Armenian Church in Tenafly. Having a great love for teaching, she assumed the duties as the superintendent of the Sunday school, as well as a Sunday school and Armenian language schoolteacher.
She played an active role in many church organizations and activities throughout the years, including service as Women’s Guild member and chairwoman, church choir member, and volunteering at annual church picnics and bazaars. She was also a member of the Daughters of Vartan worldwide charitable organization.
She later joined St. Leon Armenian Church in Fair Lawn, NJ, and was an active member there for years, as well as a member of its Women’s Guild and Sunday School. During her later years she would recite Bible stories and lessons to the entire Sunday School before classes began.
In 2010, Violet was the recipient of the Women’s Guild Central Council’s first “Women of Wonder” (WOW) Award, for her lifetime of untiring service and contribution to the Guild and the Armenian Church community, including 18 years of devoted work with the School Bag Project. The impetus for this project was the devastating earthquake that struck Armenia in 1988, a tragedy that destroyed many schools and had long term effects on Armenia’s educational system. Violet wanted all children to have educational opportunities. For this reason, she conceived, initiated, and realized this project that she held so dear. For this project she requested and received monetary donations, approached local businesses, appealing for, and receiving large quantities of free school supplies, and coordinated volunteers to pack and prepare for international shipping many thousands of school bags to various regions within Armenia that were most effected by the earthquake.
After nine years of night school in New Jersey, Violet earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Education from William Patterson College in 1971. Having volunteered at a Tenafly school library, she was hired as an elementary school librarian by the Tenafly Board of Education. She continued her education with a Master’s Degree in Media from Seton Hall University in 1975. She also earned an additional 40 credits in her post graduate studies.
While active with her church community, Violet was also active in her professional life. She was very involved with and proud of her Maugham and Stillman School activities and community, always receiving high praise on her annual reviews. She loved working with children, always finding ways to add fun and the love of learning to their lives. After 25 years, Violet retired from teaching in 1993, due to her worsening retinitis pigmentosa, which slowly progressed and limited her eyesight, ultimately leading to total blindness.
Violet had a dynamic personality and was always full of energy. When not busy helping or doing for her family or community, she enjoyed knitting, keeping physically fit, and cooking, often trying new recipes and perfecting older, traditional ones. She had a sweet tooth and favored ice cream sundaes, butter pecan ice cream, and Turtle pecan cluster candies.
The Jersey Shore was her happy place. She loved being down in Manahawkin surrounded by family and friends. She never let her loss of sight get her down or slow her down. She continued all her hobbies and activities throughout her life, often surprising others when they realized she couldn’t see.
During her retirement years, she happily accompanied her husband on many trips to mission parishes throughout the United States. She was a devoted wife of the late Der Arnak, to whom she was married for 67 years, until he passed away in 2017.
Yn. Violet was the loving mother of Stephen (Janet) Kasparian, Laurie (Randall) Preston, Maro Kasparian, Ardis (Robert) Waldron, and Thomas Kasparian; dear grandmother of Maria (Mazinho), Laura (Benjamin), Elena, Samuel, Trevor, Jacob, Micaela, Minas, and Matthew; great-grandmother of Alden. Sister of Margaret Stepanian and Sara “Zarook” Cooper. Sadly, in addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her children Arden and Susan, and by her elder brother George. As she now joins her departed loved ones, Yn. Violet will be dearly missed by the countless people whose lives were graced by her inspirational presence.
Biographical notes courtesy of the Kasparian family.