P. Beatrice (Halabian) Manoogian died September 4, 2011 in her 102nd year under the loving care of the staff at Holy Trinity Nursing Center and the watchful presence of her family. She was born on December 15, 1908 in Chelsea, Massachusetts, the daughter of Harry K. Halabian and Mary Nakashian. She was pre-deceased by her loving husband Manoog H. Manoogian, brothers George and Martin Halabian and sisters Helen Mamigon and Alice Kooyoomjian Opoian. She leaves her son Harry M. Manoogian and his wife Margaret, grandchildren Tina M. Healey, Michael P. Manoogian, Carol M. O'Malley and Roxanne B. Starkin. She also leaves nine great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren and many dear nieces and nephews.
Mrs. Manoogian was employed for several years as a furrier with Royal Furriers and briefly with C.T. Sherer Company, after which she spent many years as a bookkeeper with Joseph P. Manning Company in Worcester. Beatrice was a lifetime member of Stella Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star as well as a fifty year member and past Matron of the Worcester Chapter of the Daughters of Vartan, and a member for over 65 years of Chestnut Street Congregational Church, now known as United Congregational Church.
During WWII, Beatrice joined the Massachusetts Women's Defense Corps, majored in the field of communications, passed the Federal Communications Commission exam in Morse Code, and was stationed at the Green Hill Mansion.
Although she worked outside the home for all of her late teen to adult years, Mrs. Manoogian found time to be a nurturing "homebody" who for many years cared for an elderly mother and ill husband, while still finding time to pursue her interests in knitting, crocheting and needlework, to say nothing of "spoiling" her grandchildren.
Calling hours will be TODAY, Tuesday, September 6, 2011 from 5-8 p.m. at Nordgren Memorial Chapel 300 Lincoln St. Worcester. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, September 7th at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral home. Family and friends may gather at 9:00 a.m. to pay their respects prior to the service. Internment will follow at Hope Cemetery. The family requests that flowers be omitted and suggests that memorial donations be made to Holy Trinity Eastern Orthodox Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 300 Barber Ave. Worcester, MA 01605. For directions or to leave an online condolence message, please click on link below.