WORCESTER- Charlotte Calfaian, 98, passed away on Monday, September 12, 2016.
She is survived by her god daughter Roberta Lesnivich of Catonsville, MD., cousins Sylvia Collette, Harry Papazian, Donald Meserlian, Joyce Gedigian, Mary Ann Shahlamian and Karbis Khodjian; dear friends, Agnes Sahagian and all of her family, Jaclyn Hodge and Marcia Gazoorian.
She was born in Worcester, daughter of Hatch A. and Mannig “Mary” Calfaian and graduated from Commerce High School in 1935. Later in life, she attended the Evening College at Clark University and was awarded a Certificate in General Studies in 1970. She worked for nearly 40 years for the United States Government in various departments and positions. Among them were the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, DC, the U.S. Veterans Administration in Washington, DC, as well as at Cushing Hospital in Framingham, MA. Her last post was with the Department of Defense as a Project Control Analyst at the Air Division Equipment Division at the U.S. Army Natick Laboratories, from where she retired.
Charlotte was a devoted and faithful member of the Armenian Church of Our Saviour where she served as a Sunday school teacher for many years. She was an active member of the church’s Women’s Guild where she set up a manual for foods prepared for the annual Fall Bazaar. Charlotte was active for many years in the Armenian Students Association of America serving on its Central Executive Committee, as well as in the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
Charlotte gave her time and talents generously to her church and to theses organizations to which she was devoted. The Armenian Church was a major part of her life and she showed her devotion and love by creating endowments from which the parishioners will benefit forever. In addition, an endowed scholarship grant is given each year to a deserving Armenian student by the Armenian Students’ Association of America in her name.
Charlotte’s favorite hobby was gardening, and her vegetable and flower gardens were the showcase of the neighborhood at each place she lived throughout her life. She also enjoyed traveling, having visited Europe, the Far East, Armenia, Hawaii, California and Florida among other places in the United States.
Charlotte was diminutive in stature, but grand in heart. Her high school photo was captioned, “Better to be short and to shine, than to be tall and cast a shadow”.
Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her brother James, her sisters Barbara Nalkranian, Helen Halabian and Elizabeth Calfaian and several cousins.
Profound gratitude must be given to Ruzana Nehonde and Elizabeth Gakonde who skillfully cared for Charlotte with love and compassion for the last several years and caringly made some of her last moments comfortable and peaceful. Also, special thanks to Jason McCann and all of the wonderful staff at Tatnuck Park Assisted Living Harbour unit whose love and respect for the residents translates every single day into providing them with a safe, supportive and enjoyable environment.
Funeral services will be held privately and are under the care of CALLAHAN FAY & CASWELL FUNERAL HOME, 61 Myrtle St., Worcester. Memorial donations in her name may be made to the Armenian Church of Our Saviour, 87 Salisbury St., Worcester, MA 01609