Alma Khachadoorian Maranian (86) of Natick, Massachusetts, passed away on January 5, 2025. Loving wife of Jack Maranian for 62 years. Devoted mother of Stephen Maranian and his wife Cynthia, of Southport, North Carolina; Jennifer Maranian Cote and her husband Michael Cote, of Holliston, Massachusetts; and Ara Maranian and his wife Robin, of Clifton, Virginia. Beloved grandmother of Jackson, Elizabeth, Maxwell, Peter, Julia, and Matthew. Alma was predeceased by her parents Stephen Khachadoorian and Siony (Aroian) Khachadoorian; and her brother, Archie Khachadoorian.
Born in 1938, Alma grew up in the South End of Boston. She enjoyed her youth in the city and spent lots of her time inside the garden walls of the arts center there. She attended Girls High School and Boston State Teacher’s College and together with her best friend Dorothy graduated in 1960 and started their teaching careers. They remained close friends for over 70 years. Growing up, Alma spent time enjoying Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester with her cousins.
Alma met the love of her life Jack at a New Year’s Eve Dance in 1959, they married in 1962 and have had a loving and supportive marriage of 62 years. Together they enjoyed going to the movies and traveling to historical sites along the East Coast.
Alma taught first and second grade first at the Pierce School in Arlington, MA. When the first of her three children, Stephen was born, she took time to focus on her family and was a homemaker and mother while her children were young. Alma returned to teaching in the Natick Public Schools when her youngest children, Jennifer and Ara, were teenagers. Alma’s personal love of reading included teaching many first graders to read as well as reading extensively for pleasure. She always had a pile of books in her sun porch where she polished off many novels over the years.
Alma also loved to garden and giving of her time including teaching Sunday School and volunteering at the local hospital. Grandma also treasured her special time with her six grandchildren, those who were close by and those who came to visit from Virginia.
Visitation will be at 10AM and funeral services will be at 11AM on Friday, January 10, 2025, at the Armenian Church of the Holy Translators in Framingham, Massachusetts.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Alma’s memory to the Armenian Church of the Holy Translators, 38 Franklin Street, Framingham, MA 01702 or to the Lynch Syndrome Clinic at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215.