Alice Papazian (Mavisakalian), 77, formerly of Belmont, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026, surrounded by family.
Loving daughter of the late Vartan and Sirvart Mavisakalian
Devoted mother of Christi Zortea and her husband, Cristian, and Marc Papazian and his wife, Sara. Cherished grandmother of Kyle Jack Papazian.
Loving sister of Hilda Assarian and her husband, Steven, the late Ann Tarvezian and her husband, Richard, and the late Jack Mavisakalian.
Adored aunt of Talene Tarvezian Choly and her husband, Andrew, Adam Assarian, Zak Papazian and his wife, Anahit, Melene Papazian and Garo Papazian. Cherished great aunt of Theodore Choly.
Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Alice and her family moved to Massachusetts in 1958. She graduated from Newton High School in 1967 and attended a two year program at Newton Junior College. Through the years, Alice had various service occupations, ranging from working in retail sales at Edwards Jewelry in Waltham, to waitressing at Aram’s Cafe in Belmont and Bentley University. Alice was drawn to those positions from her warm hearted personality and the joy she experienced from engaging with and helping others. While she enjoyed those years and positions, her fondest times were spent being a mom. Alice was always present at sporting or music events for her children, always cheering them on.
Alice loved to bake and cooked wonderful dishes for her family and friends. No one ever left her house hungry or without leftovers. While she loved and specialized in Armenian cooking, there was never a recipe or cuisine that Alice would shy away from-- all meals turning out equally amazing. Some of Alice’s favorite pastimes included talking about and watching the Boston Celtics with her grandson, Kyle, playing poker games with family and friends, and spending memorable days at the beach with her loved ones.
Alice will always remain in her family’s hearts, remembered for a life defined by her generosity, kindness for others, and unconditional love.
Funeral service at Saint James Armenian Church, 465 Mount Auburn Street, Watertown on Wednesday, January 14 at 12 noon. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend.
Visiting hours will be held at Saint James Armenian Church on Wednesday morning from 11 am – 12 noon, immediately prior to the funeral service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Saint James Armenian Church or Alzheimer’s Association at act.alz.org
At the request of the family, private cemetery services will be held at a later date.