Mary C. Melikian

Mary Melikian, longtime Worcester photographer, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 22, 2015. She was born in Worcester on September 1, 1926, the only child of the late Kazar S. Melikian and Teris (Hovsepian) Melikian. She was a graduate of Commerce High School and studied at the Worcester Art Museum. Mary's father opened the K.S. Melikian Studio at 421 Main St, Worcester in 1920. After her father's death in 1969, she continued the business until present day. Mary leaves her cousins June Benoit, the studio photographer with whom she worked for over 40 years and Veronica Carlson of Shrewsbury, along with cherished family, dear friends and lifelong friends Pauline Agazarian and Rose Depoian. She was predeceased by cousins, Sally Pashoian, George Melikian, Marion Poske, and Alice Parodeau. Aside from her passion for photography, she was a member of the Worcester Historical Museum, Preservation Worcester, Worcester Art Museum, Girl Scouts of America and many other Worcester Organizations and Volunteer Projects. She was an avid traveler and had friends all over the world. She loved photographing celebrities at social or cultural events. She was proud of her Armenian heritage and worked to preserve it through photography. Whether spending summers with her beloved Hovsepian cousins on the Hudson River, New York, or enjoying holidays and gatherings with the Melikian family and friends, she lived life to the fullest and will be lovingly remembered and missed. There are no calling hours. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the Armenian Church of Our Saviour, 87 Salisbury St, Worcester, MA 01609. A private burial will follow in Hope Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Armenian Church of Our Saviour or The Worcester Historical Museum, 30 Elm Street, Worcester, MA 01609. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester. To share your thoughts and memories of Mary, please visit her personal quest book at: www.mercadantefuneral.com.