With the deepest sorrow, the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America wishes to inform its faithful of the death of Yeretzgin Yefkin Megherian, who passed away on January 1, 2026, after more than a century of meaningful life.
Yn. Yefkin, beloved wife of the late Fr. Vartan Megherian, of blessed memory (d. 1984), was an exemplary and deeply beloved figure in our Diocese: a beautiful, grace-filled soul; supremely talented as an artist; gentle and compassionate in demeanor, with an inner strength born of her faith in Christ, that sustained her and drove her forward. She was a mentor and generous friend to her sister yeretzgins, who held her in high esteem as a model of that vocation.’
She was not only the wife of a priest, but came from a long line of priests who had served the church in the great, historic Armenian city of Marash. Her parents were Genocide survivors who settled in Troy, New York, where Yefkin was born. She was educated through New York’s state university system, and became a teacher in the public schools. It is easy to envision Yefkin with her sweet, smiling disposition, sharing her love of art and learning with those eager young students. But the fearless spirit of her Marash ancestors was equally a part of Yefkin’s character, and made her a genuine trailblazer throughout her life.
Her marriage to then-Deacon Garabed Megherian, and the family they raised, formed the central motivating factor in her life. When her husband was ordained as Fr. Vartan in 1948—the first priest to be ordained by then-Bishop Tiran Nersoyan—Yefkin became the first American-born yeretzgin in the Armenian Church. And she was truly exemplary in that role, being a partner and support to Der Vartan in his ministry, and an indispensable leader in her own right. The two shared not only all of life’s cares and joys, but they shared the same spiritual orientation of abiding trust in Christ, enriched by a humane spirit that radiated warmth and love to everyone around them.
After their early service in Evanston, Illinois, Fr. Vartan became the first fulltime pastor of the Holy Martyrs parish in Bayside, New York. It was still in its infancy at the time, with the church building barely under construction. But Der Hayr and Yeretzgin worked hand-in-hand with the parish lay leaders to shape the church into one of the most active and influential centers in our Diocese. Yn. Yefkin was the first superintendent of Holy Martyrs Sunday School, which was a model for our Diocese’s approach to educating the youth. To this day, in so many ways—from the artistic appointments of the sanctuary, to the parish auxiliary organizations, and even to its sports program—Holy Martyrs still bears the imprint of Der Vartan and Yn. Yefkin’s seventeen years of devoted service.
Of course, the untimely passing of Der Vartan in 1984 was a terrible blow to Yefkin and their children. Becoming a widow at sixty years of age, Yn. Yefkin could have allowed this to mark the end of her active life. Instead, by faith and force of will, and encouraged by her wonderful family, Yefkin Megherian chose to embark on a brave new pathway, devoting herself to the vocation of a fine artist. Over the course of the next forty years, she earned a reputation as an award-winning sculptor, whose works would grace galleries, museums, religious institutions—including St. Vartan Cathedral and St. Nersess Seminary—and even the Vatican.
In personal terms, she never allowed her acquaintance with grief to affect her loving connections to those around her. She relished the blessing of being with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. And she stayed close to Der Vartan’s dear sister, Siran Karagulian, her husband Lou, and their three daughters in Philadelphia. Above all, throughout her remarkable 102 years of life, Yn. Yefkin found in every trial, and every joy, a path to a deeper connection with her Lord Jesus.
Beyond her personal accomplishments, Yn. Yefkin was the last surviving member of a unique and historic group of servants of our Diocese, who came to be known as the “Class of 1948.” They were a group of five deacons who were brought to America by Tiran Srpazan, and who as married priests went on to become the nucleus of a new generation of educated clergy for our Diocese. They were Fr. Vartan Megherian, Fr. Garen Gdanian, Fr. Arnak Kasparian, Fr. Arten Ashjian, and Fr. Shahe Altounian—all ordained in 1948. Each of these pastors and their wives devoted every minute of their lives to the Armenian Church. Der Vartan was the first of the group to leave us; and Yn. Yefkin has now joined him at last. Her passing thus closes a remarkable chapter in the story of the Armenian Church in America.
Funeral arrangements for Yn. Yefkin are as follows:
Visiting hours will take place on Thursday, January 8, from 7 to 9 p.m., with the Dahn Gark (wake) service at 8 p.m., at Holy Martyrs Armenian Church (209-15 Horace Harding Expwy., Bayside, NY).
The funeral service will be held on Friday, January 9, at 12 noon, at Holy Martyrs Church. Interment will follow at Flushing Cemetery, in Flushing, NY.
The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Holy Martyrs Church Expansion Project Fund, or to St. Nersess Armenian Seminary.
We extend our prayers of sympathy and hope to Yn. Yefkin’s surviving loved ones: to her children Zarmi, Lori, Narrek and Barbara, Talin and Todd; her grandchildren Erik, Marc, Nina, Christina, Allison, Kara, Emily, Noah, and Roma; her great grandchildren Finn, Blake, and Poppy; her family members, friends, loved ones and colleagues of more than a century of faithful, meaningful life.
May God grant rest to Yeretzgin Yefkin Megherian, and may He bring strength and consolation to her loved ones in the days to come.